


LAST KISS ❊ JAMES BARNES

by gracehateseggnog



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Action/Adventure, Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, F/M, Fluff, No Sex, No Smut, Romance, Wordcount: 50.000-100.000
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-30
Updated: 2020-12-22
Packaged: 2021-03-09 18:41:51
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 51
Words: 72,079
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27800950
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/gracehateseggnog/pseuds/gracehateseggnog
Summary: Doctor Elizabeth Walters' life is normal. Until her path crosses with one James Buchanan Barnes.They live life together in harmony, enjoying the life of solitude and safety.But when the split between the Avengers affects their relationship, will they learn to forgive each other when they meet again? Or will Elizabeth and James live with their mistakes apart from each other?
Relationships: Clint Barton/Laura Barton, James "Bucky" Barnes/Original Character(s), Peggy Carter/Steve Rogers, Pepper Potts/Tony Stark, Scott Lang/Hope Van Dyne, Wanda Maximoff/Vision





	1. PROLOGUE

(2006)

Elizabeth hopped onto the gray helicopter, pushing up her twenty year-old glasses and sorting out her low-grade first aid kit. Natalia, the mission leader, held her rifle against her chest, heavily breathing.

"Don't hyperventilate." Unlike most of the Red Room victims, Elizabeth did not have a Russian accent, as she was trained for the first ten years of her life in the main HYDRA facility in the United States, but later being transferred to one of the Russian divisions, the Red Room.

Natalia began breathing slower and deeper. Elizabeth and her became great friends over the years they would work together on missions, but for some reason this particular mission was nerve wracking. Elizabeth knew that her job was much safer than her friends, not being a trained assassin was a win in her books, but she was still wracked with nerves. Elizabeth was trained for as long as she could remember under HYDRA's operations, but instead of being trained as a master assassin, she was taken in as a doctor. At sixteen, she became the greatest doctor in the whole of HYDRA, including all of their specific sub-divisions. Natalia had failed an important mission, and had been beaten by her trainers because of it. It was normal, but that same day, Elizabeth had come into the Red Room division and had been tasked to take care of Natalia after missions and training. While bandaging her up, Elizabeth became good friends with Natalia, and shared plans on how to get out. It killed Elizabeth to have to be in the room while her dear friend was sterilized at her 'graduation', but she had no choice but to witness it.

"It's a simple drop-in and drop out. I'll be fine, but get the medical supplies ready and station outside of the building unless said otherwise." You nodded to Natalia and gave her a quick smile before the helicopter landed softly on the ground. Natalia took a deep breath, holding her heavy-duty gun closer to her chest and walking out the side door. Elizabeth followed her, grasping the first aid kit so hard her knuckles turned white. As Natalia disappeared behind the bushes towards the side of the building, Elizabeth tied her long hair back and set up her first aid kit for quick and efficient work if anything happened.

"I've gotten into the main offices," Natalia whispered, throwing her friend's earpiece. "I just need to jump into the vents and get into the main Director's office for the information."

"Copy that." Elizabeth replied, quickly cleaning off her glasses and perching them back down atop her nose. She didn't need the glasses, but they enhanced her sight to the point where she could see more than the average human with amazing eyesight. They were first an experiment, but it turned out quite useful for when she had to perform emergency doctoral work on the run.

Suddenly, Natalia's distressed voice came in through her earpiece. "Get the medical supplies ready now! I've been shot and our mission is compromised, they're stronger than we thought!" Elizabeth started to panic. Her only true friend had gone through much worse, physically and mentally, Elizabeth still worried for her every time she sounded remotely distressed.

"Roger that!" She heard grunts through her earpiece, but tried to focus on preparing her medical supplies for a bullet extraction and stitches. Elizabeth heard leaves crunching on the hill behind her, and she stood up and grabbed her small handgun. It was mandatory for her to know how to use a gun, but she wasn't as agile as her friend Natalia, or any of the Red Room trainees for that matter. Natalia emerged from the thick wood, collapsing on top of her friend. Elizbeth let out a sigh of relief, she wasn't ready to take on the enemy, at least not yet.

Elizabeth shook her head and laid Natalia down on the blanket she brought, she didn't need blood on the ground, it would reveal evidence, and Natalia would take the blame, as always. Elizabeth saw a patch in her pants where it was drenched in blood, so she rolled up Natalia's pants up to her upper thigh, revealing the gunshot wound. She applied pressure as she got her tools out to remove the bullet.

"It's a Royal Enfield bullet..." Elizabeth muttered to herself, passing Natalia a rag. She put it in her mouth and screamed as Elizabeth dug into the bullet hole and retrieved the bullet, quickly applying pressure back into the now gushing wound as she placed the bullet into a jar and sealed it. She grabbed her needle and stitch-sized thread and began stitching together Natalia's wound.

A quiet crunch coming from the hill beside them startled Elizabeth, causing her to work faster on the stitches. Natalia grabbed her gun and held it up towards the bushes, ready to shoot if anyone emerged. As Elizabeth finished stitching and wiped the closed wound down with antiseptic, fifteen figures emerged from the bushes, fully armed.

"The one time we forget our cyanide pills." Natalia jokes, holding her hands up, Elizabeth following suit. They watched as a sixteenth figure jumped down from a tree, but instead of holding a heavy-duty machine gun, he was holding a bow and arrow, pointing directly into Elizabeth's forehead.

"Who the hell do you work for and why do you want SHIELD files!?" He yelled, causing Elizabeth to tremble. She wasn't supposed to be in the heat of the moment, she was never prepared for this in the slightest. Elizabeth fought back tears, remembering the times that her doctoral trainers screamed at her, causing anxiousness to bubble up inside of her.

"She knows nothing." Natalia interrupted, stating the truth. "I am the one you want, she is merely a doctor." Elizabeth thanked Natalia mentally for saving her, as the archer pointed his arrow towards her. "I will tell you everything you want to know. If you promise both of us immunity and safety from our organization." Elizabeth's mouth dropped, this was her escape plan?

"Fine. Officers, take them into the questioning room." Two officers suddenly grabbed her arms harshly, causing tears to prick from Elizabeth's eyes. To make matters worse, her glasses fell onto the ground, none of the workers batting an eye to her lost possession. Natalia walked beside her, also held by two men.

"If we reveal all of the Red Room's secrets, we could live a normal life, Elle." Elizabeth nodded, knowing that they would either die or live in this situation, and the latter seemed much more appealing now that freedom was on the line. Her and Natalia entered the building, following the archer into an interrogation room. Elizabeth suspected that Natalia had been all too familiar with interrogation rooms on her many missions, but she had only been on the ones provided in her training, to learn about what to do if she got captured. The two women sat down and were handcuffed to the table, being let go by the men as the archer sat on a chair in front of them.

"I have every reason to kill you both right now-" Elizabeth shuddered, goosebumps rising on her skin. "But I chose not to. I could still stick an arrow through both of your chests, so speak. Redhead first." Natalia took a big gulp, seeming more nervous than usual.

"We work unwillingly for a division of HYDRA, the Red Room. Like me, many girls are trained to be deadly assassins to the brink of almost death. We are sent on missions from gathering money and funding for the Red Room by bank robbery to killing presidents to gathering information from top-secret organizations that pose as a threat to HYDRA." Natalia took a shaky breath, Elizabeth wished she could calm her down, but knew that it wasn't the time. "It's efficient, we don't remember anything from before the Red Room, so we believe it's the best possible outcome in life." She finished, wincing as her thigh brushed the table top.

"You." The archer looked at Elizabeth. She breathed in shakily, her hands trembling and nerves wracking her body. She didn't remember much before training, but that was the point, she guessed.

"I was trained in a different subdivision of HYDRA here in the United States. I was trained to become their best doctor so they could send me off to a different division. Their plan worked. I went to Russia, took care of the Black Widows enrolled in the program, and helped sterilize them as they graduated from the training program. I don't really have much information other than the different mutated-type medical supplies we practiced our work with. They aren't like anything you would see in a regular hospital. Serums that would make them evolved, stronger, bigger, better than someone like Captain America or the Winter Soldier. Only the strongest ones would be able to take the serums into their veins and survive." Elizabeth finished, tears brimming in her eyes as she had flashbacks to the screaming, writhing people strapped down to medical beds, needles stabbing into their necks and wrists. She shook her head and blinked, a small tear shedding down her cheek as the vision disappeared from her mind.

The room was silent for a few minutes, the archer breaking down the information that the tortured souls in front of him confessed. "Listen. If you both stay here for a few years, train to be better people, help us take down HYDRA, etcetera, you can live normal lives like normal people." Elizabeth smiled and looked at Natalia, who was smiling as well. They both nodded as the archer unlocked their handcuffs. "I'm Clint."

"Elizabeth."

"Natalia." Clint nodded as they introduced themselves. "Follow me, we have to take a jet to the other SHIELD base, where most of the main work happens in New York." The girls both nodded as they were taken outside onto a large concrete platform. A large jet sat atop it, and Clint got in first, followed by Natalia and Elizabeth. Doors latched behind them and the plane took off, leaving the three people alone in the main compartment of the plane.

"Agent Hill left some of her clothes in the bathroom, so if you guys want to change go ahead." Natalia nodded and left to the bathroom first, she wanted to get out of her blood-stained pants and ragged shirt. Elizabeth smiled at Clint, the second person who had shown her kindness in her whole life. They both sat down at the dining table, sitting in a comfortable silence until Natalia stepped out in slightly oversized, clean office clothing. Elizabeth got up, making room for her friend as she stepped into the small bathroom. She saw the leftover, bloody clothes Natalia had changed out of, and the folded, clean clothing laying beside it on the bathroom counter. Elizabeth looked at herself in the mirror. Her tattered, dark brown hair framed her pale face, and her green eyes were bloodshot, tears staining her cheeks. She stripped herself of her dirty clothes and looked at herself again. Her ribs were clearly shown through her skin, and her body was just skin and bone. She stepped into a white collared shirt and a nude coloured blazer, pulling up the black slacks and ankle socks provided. For the first time, Elizabeth felt clean. Not just of dirt and blood, but mentally. She put on the heeled boots and ran a hairbrush through her thick, knotted hair a few times. She would have to take a bath, but it'd do for then. Elizabeth stepped out of the bathroom and sat beside Natalia.

"How's your thigh feeling?" Elizabeth asked. She'd have to find the first aid kit on the plane if anything was off, as she hadn't gotten a chance to grab her before she was dragged into the SHIELD building.

"Not great. When we get situated in New York could you do it again please?" Elizabeth nodded, smiling at her friend as she inspected if any blood had fallen down her leg. After realizing no blood had trickled down her friend's leg, Elizabeth rested her eyes, leaning her head against Natalia's shoulder and dozing off. For the first time in her life, Elizabeth Walters felt safe.


	2. CHAPTER ONE

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes, I use Canadian/English spelling for words like favourite. I did not misspell.

(2012)

Just five years later, Elizabeth Walters was twenty-five years old. She had graduated the short training period alongside Natalia, then changed to Natasha, and became one of the greatest doctors ever. Natasha had decided to stay with SHIELD, to help save the world and what not, but Elizabeth wanted to live a normal life for once, so she moved into a small apartment in New York and started working her way up the ranks as a doctor quickly. Now, she stepped out into the cold outside of spring in her scrubs and walked to the bus station. Elizabeth thought she saw a flash of brown hair from one of the alleyways across the road, but simply shook her head. Ever since she had lost her first patient, she had become paranoid, it was probably just a figment of her imagination. Elizabeth shook her head and continued her walk to the bus stop. Suddenly, an arm grasped her shoulder and pulled her into the alleyway, something cold and metal pressed against her mouth. Elizabeth squirmed but couldn't get out of the strangers grasp. Her green eyes opened to two piercing blue ones. Something in the man in front of her snapped and let go of her.

"Sorry, wrong person." Elizabeth thought she heard her kidnapper say before darting off, leaving nothing behind. Elizabeth had severe anxiety since her HYDRA days, but it had reduced since she had gotten out of therapy. Let's just say that getting almost murdered by a man with long brown hair did not help with her anxiety one bit. Shaking with anxiety, Elizabeth stepped out of the alleyway and back onto the sidewalk, hyperventilating heavily. The bus arrived just as she got to where the road began, giving Elizabeth just enough time to step up into the large bus. She ignored her alarming thoughts about what had just happened and sat down near the front beside an old man reading a comic book.

"Oh, Captain America?" Elizabeth questioned the man, trying to make quick conversation before her stop arrived. The man beside her nodded and looked up at her, revealing his giddy smile.

"It's my favourite! Do you work at a hospital?" He asked, making Elizabeth happy that he wanted to carry a conversation with her. "Yes, I work at the hospital just up the road." The man nodded, holding his hand out for Elizabeth to shake.

"Well, thank you for your service." Elizabeth nodded and quickly thanked him back, shaking his hand and getting up as the bus slowed to a stop. She waved to the man and he tipped his hat as she turned, walking down the aisle and exiting the bus. Elizabeth stepped onto the sidewalk and walked straight into the hospital, waving at the receptionist, her good friend Marilyn. She quickly showed her ID and stepped right into the washroom, sanitizing her hands and putting on her gloves, her hair was pulled up into a ponytail before she walked into the hospital. Elizabeth walked out into the foyer and saw her good friend, Stephen.

"Hello Doctor. What's on the agenda for us today?" Usually she worked with Stephen, as they both were the best surgeons in the hospital, and it was routine for them to share most of their patients.

"You need to check on Ms. Channing for her regular check-up, and we have a scheduled surgery at noon." She nodded, knowing that she usually had to give up her lunch break. "Other than that, that's all that's scheduled. Let's hope there's no emergency calls." Stephen smiled at Elizabeth and disappeared into the washroom to sanitize as the brown-haired woman walked to the front desk, borrowing one of the phones. It rang before she could pick it up. She looked at Marilyn and she nodded, giving her the OK to answer it.

"This is Doctor Walters speaking, how may I help you?" The other line was fuzzy, but Elizabeth just suspected that many people were using the WiFi, it was popular in the hospital in the center of Manhattan to have bad WiFi every once in a while, faster internet wasn't a priority for the hospital.

'Hi, can we get an ambulance? My wife's in labour and we don't own a car. All of the taxis shut down for some reason.' Elizabeth was confused, but pushed the button to send out an ambulance to the phone's address.

"Can you stay on the line for me please sir?" She heard a muffled 'yes', and watched the screen as it tracked the ambulance. Elizabeth heard groaning from the side. "Okay, please get her to breathe in and out deeply, and make sure to start tracking her contractions."

'Sounds good Miss Doctor.' Elizabeth chuckled. She used to be a gynecologist in her time at the hospital before moving to Patient Care and Surgery, so she knew how awkward it got with the partner when the other was giving birth or pregnant.

"Make sure she doesn't eat anything, and get her ready to get into the ambulance." Elizabeth heard the phone sit on an object, and also heard the man trying to calm down his wife. "Get a pillow and make sure her back is elevated slightly." The man picked the phone back up and she heard shuffling, presumably him going to find a pillow.

"You're doing great, sir, just make sure you keep your wife calm, the ambulance is around five minutes from your apartment. If you can get her to stand up and walk, or if you have a wheelchair handy please try and take her into the hallway so we can get to you faster."

'I have a wheelchair from when I broke my legs, will that work?'

"Yes." Elizabeth replied, hearing the phone be put down again and a lot of groaning while his wife was put up onto the wheelchair. The phone was picked back up and she could hear the husband wheeling his wife out into the hallway. "The ambulance is outside of your building, what's the floor number?"

'We're on floor two.' He replied. She could hear the distress in his voice, and she knew it was normal for this kind of thing. Elizabeth began to write down the number so the hospital could call them if they were separated in the future.

"Alright, I'm going to hang up now. I wish your wife the best of luck." Elizabeth said, smiling. She always wanted to have a child, but she knew she'd have to give up being a doctor for a while, and she'd have to find 'The One'.

'Before you go Miss Doctor I-" The line went static, and the lights began flickering in the hospital. Elizabeth looked around and placed the phone down, seeing that none of the moving ambulances were being tracked on the screen anymore.

"I'm going to go check on the patients on life support." Stephen said, walking out of the washroom and walking into a room, checking the vitals and heart rate, making sure that nothing had changed.

Suddenly, large crashes hit the hospital, sending Elizabeth flying onto the back wall. More crashes could be heard down the wall as a large wormhole opened up at the end of the road. Elizabeth was sure she had a few broken bones, but lifted herself up and inhaled smoke, coughing and hacking immediately. The walls had been opened up, the roof barely hanging on as more crashes hit the hospital.

"EVERYONE GET OUT!" Elizabeth hoarsely yelled, seeing Stephen flee out of the front door and into the street holding a physically impaired patient in his arms and the other patients following suit. Another large blow hit the hospital, the roof falling down behind Elizabeth. She pulled up her surgical mask in an attempt to block out the smoke from entering her lungs. As Elizabeth saw more and more patients and doctors flooding out of the hospital and the streets becoming more and more crowded, she managed to climb half-way out of the rubble before finding her leg had gotten stuck between the reception desk, which was flipped over, and a piece of ceiling.

"HELP!" By then, the whole hospital was in rubble and swept away, no walls had stood up anymore, and you could see the Avengers flying in, struggling to attack the many alien-like creatures coming from the wormhole. Someone must have heard Elizabeth's call for help, as a fiery redhead Avenger dropped in, pulling the ceiling piece out from above her leg. Elizabeth looked up to see Natasha Romanoff, her old friend.

"Natasha!" She said in glee. They had kept in contact, but they hadn't seen each other in person since the SHIELD graduation. Natasha leant down to inspect her leg, but Elizabeth swatted her away. "I can fix myself up, go save the world or something." Natasha smirked at her old friend and jumped off towards the main battle, leaving Elizabeth to limp out a broken window, her ankle severely dislocated. She stepped behind the hospital and walked for a few blocks down the alleyway, when crashes ceased to follow her, she sat down on the concrete floor, rolling up her tattered scrubs to reveal her dislocated ankle.

"I should've grabbed a first-aid kit." Elizabeth shut her eyes and winced as her ankle bone popped back into its socket. She stood back up, ignoring the throbbing pain in her leg and arm, watching as a building crashed behind her. She saw Iron Man fly up above her, battling a flying alien. Elizabeth was knocked to the ground by one of the creepy alien things. She wasn't armed, but she knew she remembered how to fight from her slight Red Room training. With shaking hands, she knocked the alien back to the ground where she once sat, and wrapped her legs around the alien, spinning and tightening her thighs until his head snapped. With blue blood coating her scrubs, Elizabeth jumped down from the limp alien, wiping her head off and seeing Iron Man finishing off his alien. She started to sprint down the street to the other side of the road in an attempt to get out of the alleyway. She stumbled multiple times, and the blinding pain from her leg didn't help. Elizabeth saw the police escorting people into taxis to get out of New York, and she limped over to the officers.

"Ma'am, please enter that car. You're getting transported to the border of Connecticut. Keep up with the New York news channels to make sure it's safe before you come back." Elizabeth hopped into the back seat and passed the driver some loose change.

"Take me to the hospital closest to the Connecticut border." He nodded and Elizabeth drove off, eyes widening as a large worm-like animal emerged from the blue wormhole. The large hit to her head from the alien caused throbbing pains in her temples, so she closed her eyes, and drifted off into a deep sleep.


	3. CHAPTER TWO

(2012)

Elizabeth batted her eyes open as the taxi slowed to a stop in front of a hospital, of which was crowded with hundreds of injured people trying to get treated. She quickly thanked the driver and left the taxi, pushing past the crowd of people to see the person managing the front door.

"My name is Doctor Elizabeth Walters, please let me in, I can help." She said, holding her ID up to the woman. Hesitantly, the woman let Elizabeth in, instructing her to go to the last room down the corridor. She stepped into the room, it looked like a singular patient room, but three beds were pushed against each other. Only one person sat in the room, laying down on one of the cots. They were passed out, with cuts on their forehead and gashes down their arms and legs. Glass was stuck everywhere, and blue blood stained her shirt and shorts. Elizabeth washed her hands in the sink, and put on the latex gloves provided. She began disinfecting and stitching up the big gashes on the lady's thighs, stopping the bleeding before moving onto her arms and forehead. Elizabeth grabbed some tweezers and removed the shards of glass from her arms and legs and neck. She quickly placed an oxygen mask over her face and made sure her vitals were stable before sighing and sitting down. She turned on the small television in the room, and it showed the destruction the extra-terrestrial creatures had caused and were causing. Elizabeth gasped as she saw Iron Man fly up into the wormhole with a large nuke, disappearing in as it shut.

'Will Iron Man come back? The Avengers look quite distraught.' Elizabeth watched as the reporter gasped, stepping aside to watch the world's second superhero fall back to Earth from the wormhole. 'He's back! But does the world famous superhero and former CEO of Stark Industries survive?' She took a sharp breath in, watching as the camera panned to the Avengers, spotting Natasha and Clint. Elizabeth knew about the Avengers, as Natasha had told her all about going to Calcutta, even when she wasn't supposed to tell any details. Clint had also been telling her about the Iron Man joining the initiative issues, Captain America coming out from the ice, and Thor arriving from a realm called 'Asgard'. Elizabeth knew much more than the regular person, and because of this, she was initially a part of the Avengers Initiative, but declined the offer from a father figure of hers, Nick Fury. As much as she wanted to be a hero, Elizabeth wanted to lead a normal life. As the Hulk roared Tony Stark to life, another patient filed into the room, laying on the bed beside the other. Elizabeth turned her attention from the television to the man. He, too, was littered in cuts and gashes, but there was surprisingly no glass stuck in him. She picked up the hospital room's phone and dialed the reception.

'Room 214 what do you need?' The woman asked hurriedly, clearly trying to keep up with the major rush of patients from New York. Elizabeth wondered how many people would lose their lives to this alien battle. Shaking her head, she rid the bad thoughts out of her head.

"I need two X-Ray rooms open." The receptionist muttered a 'yes' and Elizabeth hung up. After a few minutes of the boring monotone voice of the news reporter, she finally got to wheel out the two patients, going into the X-Ray rooms provided by the hospital and leaving them for a scan by a certified Connecticut doctor. Elizabeth walked out the front glass doors, watching as the last of the people came into the hospital in regards to the aftermath of the attack. She couldn't help but wonder what would happen now. Would New York go back to normal? Elizabeth knew that the answer was no, now that the world knew that, essentially, aliens existed, everything would change. Suddenly, she saw a whir of something go by her, before she was held against the wall in the alley next to the hospital. A hand pulled over her mouth, she started panicking, her chest began to hurt, and her hands trembled, her whole body soon shaking. The person who had trapped her let go, causing her to collapse, her heart palpitating and her throat feeling like she was choking, even though nothing was happening.

"I need your help." Elizabeth couldn't look up, she felt like blacking out, her heart felt like it was beating out of her chest. Her chest felt like it was going to explode, and her fear of losing consciousness made it harder and harder to regain a regular breathing pattern. As her vision began to clear back up, she felt a hand reach out to her. Confused, Elizabeth took it, gaining some strength back and pushing herself up onto her legs, facing her kidnapper. Only as she looked at his masked face and long brown hair, did she remember his statement.

"W-with what?" Elizabeth stuttered out, struggling to speak as she came down from her panic attack. They were usually short, but god, they were intense. Most of the time, Elizabeth blacked out, so she was lucky she stood, still conscious, in front of this strange blue-eyed man.

"I-I don't know..." The man trailed off, looking at the ground. After her years and years of training at SHIELD, she knew how to read someone. He was lost, something in him, Elizabeth knew, was confused. He didn't know who he was, or, rather what he had become. She almost gasped audibly as she realized who was in front of her. They had learned about him when in the Red Room, he was a part of it, after all. Trained by the best, then he trained the best.

The Winter Soldier.

The girls trained in the Red Room, and in HYDRA in general had learnt all about The Winter Soldier. The 'lucky' ones got to be trained by him, mostly every time he was preparing to go back into cryotherapy. Really, what the girls didn't know was who he was before HYDRA, and to be fair, neither did he. They did a good job classifying all of his files, but after SHIELD got a hold of Natalia Romanova, they were even better. Snapping back to reality, Elizabeth remembered that The Winter Soldier was standing in front of her.

"I only have a few minutes before they track me down. Please help me-"

"Your name is James Buchanan Barnes. Your best friend was Steven Grant Rogers. You fought in World War II. You supposedly died in a train accident fighting against HYDRA. Which you are now a part of." Elizabeth knew that she couldn't give him anything to contact her, as he was being brainwashed as soon as he could get to a HYDRA base, that'd mean that HYDRA could get a hold of her again. The man's eyes widened, locking them with Elizabeth before nodding, jumping up the building in front of them and running off. Letting out what seemed like the biggest breath she had taken in forever, Elizabeth remembered where she was, now in a frenzy about her apartment, her workplace, the patients, Stephen, her friends. She tried to relax herself, not wanting to evoke another panic attack. Elizabeth walked into the hospital again, grabbing the phone and calling the taxi service. A few minutes passed, and she stepped out onto the curb, sitting in the taxi.

"Center of Manhattan, please." The driver gave Elizabeth a judging look, but shrugged and started driving. The woman in the back seat pressed her head against the window, rubbing at her chest to try and relax her from starting another panic attack. The sun peered behind the trees, getting ready to set after an extremely long day. Watching as Connecticut slowly disappeared behind her, Elizabeth let her eyes droop down, and fell asleep.


	4. CHAPTER THREE

(2012)

"Hey, lady, you've arrived. Pay me and get out." Elizabeth was rudely awaken by the taxi cab driver, so she quickly handed him a crumpled hundred dollar bill and a few tens before exiting the yellow car, coming straight into view with the one and only Stark Tower. She took a big breath in and out, watching behind her as the cab left, driving off to his next client. Elizabeth, dirty scrubs still pressed on her body, sweat still bleeding from her hairline from her encounter with James Buchanan Barnes, and her lip and head lightly bleeding red from the explosion at the hospital. She walked to the door of the large skyscraper, lightly limping from her leg getting crushed under the ceiling of the hospital. Elizabeth stepped in front of the reception desk, meeting eyes with Pepper Potts. She knew that after the invasion they had been short on staff due to safety and everyone wanting to get home to their families, away from New York. Elizabeth immediately was pulled in a hug from the CEO of Stark Industries. They had known each other ever since Pepper was hired by Tony Stark, they had a sister-like bond that Elizabeth and Natasha once had before the SHIELD graduation, and they were both thankful to have some getaway of all the Testosterone in their lives.

"God, Beth I was so worried. I heard your hospital got hit pretty bad, and when they did roll call back at the emergency station and you weren't there, me and Tony went into a frenzy." Pepper let go, still gripping hard on her friend's shoulders.

"Wait, Pepper you said you had the roll call?" Elizabeth asked, eliciting a nod from the strawberry blonde. "I need to look at it, now." Confused for a moment, the woman in the dirtied white suit nodded again, letting Elizabeth follow her to the reception desk, opening up the dust-covered computer. "JARVIS?"

"Yes, Ms. Potts?" Elizabeth would've jumped, but she had been to Stark Tower too many times, and she knew JARVIS well, well enough to have learned how to trick him into favouring her over Tony Stark and Pepper Potts.  
"Please open up the Manhattan Medical Health Care Center roll call." It opened on the screen in a millisecond, Elizabeth scanning the page for her co-workers, and one of her best friends, Stephen Strange. She sighed in relief as she saw his name appear, breathing steadily again.

"Hey JARVIS, can you find and open the roll call of The Anderson School, elementary school in Manhattan?" Elizabeth crossed her fingers. Her best friend since her childhood worked at the local elementary school in central Manhattan, and she, Marilyn Carson, had to be okay. If she wasn't, Elizabeth would break down, and probably go to her childhood caregiver for advice, which nobody should EVER do.

"Of course, Ms. Fu-"

"It's Walters, but please, call me Elizabeth."

"Of course, Elizabeth." As soon as JARVIS' and Elizabeth's exchange was done, the roll call was pulled up onto the screen. Once more relaxing, she saw Marilyn Carson's name pull up. Pepper rubbed Elizabeth's shoulders soothingly, easing the anxiety. The doctor turned around, letting the CEO pull her into a tight hug, both regaining their regular breathing. After leaving SHIELD, Elizabeth had nowhere to go, and against good judgement, Tony Stark took her in until she could get a job at a hospital, her dream job. So, after Iraq, Pepper and Elizabeth became very good friends, having dealt with the emotional stress of the whole missing Tony situation. Soon enough, they released, hearing footsteps coming down from the ruined marble staircase.

"My two favourite girls. Glad to see you made it out okay, Liz. Heard your hospital took quite the hit." Anthony Edward Stark. One of Elizabeth's closest friends, but at the same time she hated him for many, many reasons. To start, he revealed to the world that he was Iron Man too soon, but that wasn't even the tip of the iceberg. Elizabeth scoffed. "Yeah, could've dealt with not ruining around fifty people's chance to live." Tony rolled his eyes, a glass of scotch in his hand, he pulled the doctor into a hug. 

"Oh god, Tony I'd love to hug you but you reek of alcohol. Have you even showered since yesterday?" Elizabeth asked, pushing the older man away, scrunching her nose up in distaste.

"Nope, I'm going en natural. New fragrance. Tony Stark B.O... how much do you think people would pay for that stuff?"

"Probably not a lot, now, I need to go find my friends and sort out the whole hospital situation. You got a phone I can borrow?" Elizabeth asked, already halfway out the door. Tony grabbed something out of his back pocket and passed it to her. 

"Even better, the newest iPhone 4s model. Brand spanking new." Elizabeth smiled. "Thanks, Tones, I'll see you guys later."

"Hey! I told you not to call me that!" The doctor just grinned evilly as the doors shut behind her, loading up her new phone and putting all of her credentials in. As she walked down the street, glancing at the wreckage, her mind drifted to the Winter Soldier. She knew that he needed hospitality in between missions, and it'd help his memory if he could get something in there every so often. The only problem was, she knew he wouldn't remember her each night, and most likely try to kill her. Elizabeth sighed, approaching the hospital, or rather, what was the hospital. It was in complete shambles, the only things in contact were some of the rock-solid desks. Seriously, why are they so strong? She watched as giant teams of people helped evaluate the situations and start working on rebuilding the city. Elizabeth sighed, picking up her phone and seeing a text from Tony and Pepper. Guess they added a group chat.

_'hey, we're heading out to the malibu mansion for a bit. avengers tower is getting fixed up so we cant stay. but, good news, an hq is being built here in new york from one of my dad's old places. so maybe you can stay if your place doesn't get fixed.'_

_'Tony, use proper grammar and capitals, please. It makes me want to blow your brains out.'_

_'calm down, peps.'_

_'I wish I could, Tony, but I still need a job to pay for the fixing of my apartment. Hope you guys have fun in Malibu. I'll have to come visit you guys sometime.'_

_'i'll be counting on it, liz.'_

_'I have to go, Marilyn somehow got a hold of my phone number, and you know how she is. I'll talk to you later, guys.'_

_'have fun with marilyn, liz.'_

'Bye, Beth!' Elizabeth clicked off of iMessage and opened her sixty-seven missed calls from her best friend. She rolled her eyes and smiled, opening a call and getting an immediate response. Elizabeth pulled the phone to her right ear, sitting down on half of a park bench.

 _"ELI! I DON'T HEAR FROM YOU AFTER THE WHOLE WORMHOLE THING, NEXT THING I KNOW YOUR WHOLE HOSPITAL IS IN SHAMBLES. YOU BETTER GIVE ME ANSWERS MISSIE!!"_ Elizabeth had to pull the phone away from her ear for a moment, the yelling a little too loud for her ears.

"Mari, calm down. I took a cab out of town and helped a few people in Connecticut, then came back. I can't chat for too long, the sun's going down and I need a place to stay." Elizabeth explained, eliciting a large sigh to come from the other end of the line.

 _"Fine. Call me as soon as you find a place to stay, I'm staying at Steve's apartment in Brooklyn. Also, thanks for introducing me... he's a total hunk."_ Elizabeth scoffed and rolled her eyes. Sure, he was a looker, but he was no James Barnes.

"Goodnight, Mari. Stay safe."

_"Night Night, Eli. Find a place and stay safe. Love you."_

"Love you too." The line went dead on the other end and Elizabeth pushed her phone back into the pockets of her scrubs. She needed a place to stay and a change of clothes. Glancing back at the Avengers Tower for a moment, Elizabeth shook her head. It was too risky, if anything came back it'd be headed straight for what killed it last time. She turned back and spotted a fairly-in tact hotel on the end of the street. Elizabeth sighed with relief, opening the door to greet a nice old lady at the reception desk.

"Hi, do you have a room to stay in? My apartment was totally wrecked in the fight." The lady nodded, smiling warmly before grabbing a key, and handing it to Elizabeth. She rummaged through her scrub pockets for her wallet, but only found a few crumpled twenties. As she handed the money that she had out to the woman, she was shot down, her hand being pushed back onto the table.

"No money." The woman said, a thick Romanian accent. "You need sleep, and clothes." The lady placed down a pair of clean clothes on the table, smiling. "Only thing I ask of you, is to go to Romania. Visit my son, Sebastian. I am too old to travel." Elizabeth nodded, thankful for the stranger's kindness.

"Thank you. I will, I promise." The lady beckoned her away, Elizabeth trudging up the old, rickety steps and reaching her room, entering it with the key and collapsing on the bed, too tired to even change out of her shoes, let alone her scrubs.

"I'll change my clothes tomorrow..." Elizabeth's voice trailed off, letting herself fall asleep on the marshmallow bed.


	5. CHAPTER FOUR

(2012)

Elizabeth woke up in a cold sweat. She had another dream about the Winter Soldier, and if she didn't do anything about it, she knew that the nightmares wouldn't stop. Elizabeth checked the time quickly on the alarm clock beside her bed before getting up. It was four in the morning, which meant she had a lot of time to work out what she was going to do next. Her apartment was trashed, she had no place to work, and the Winter Soldier was after her in some way. After changing, Elizabeth grabbed a pad of sticky notes and started scribbling some notes down. She knew that if the Winter Soldier tracked her down or HYDRA got a hold of her location and sent him, she'd need to snap him out somehow.

'Your name is James Buchanan Barnes. You 'died' in the second world war. Your best friend is Steve Rogers. HYDRA captured you after you fell from a train, going off to fight HYDRA themselves.' Nothing else fit on the pad, even with Elizabeth's minuscule writing, so she placed it on the window, then made a few more copies, placing them on all the windows and the floor in front of the hotel door. She sighed, grabbing her phone and shoving it in her jean pocket. She wore a creme-coloured t-shirt with simple blue jeans and large-tongued sneakers, which the nice lady at the front desk had given her. Elizabeth walked out of the hotel room, stepping outside into the fresh air. Strangely, the sounds of construction were seemingly soothing, compared to the explosions the day before. She watched as news reporters took civilian reports, clean up crews swept up the sidewalks, and architects surveyed the road to see if there was anything they could do. Elizabeth continued to walk, her stomach grumbling from the lack of food. Suddenly, her phone began to ring. Elizabeth guessed that Tony had given out her contact information to her friends, but there was no being sure. She picked up the phone.

 _'Hey, Liza.'_ Elizabeth smiled as she heard her co-worker, Stephen Strange's voice came through the phone.

"Hey Doctor. Can you give me an update on the patients and other workers before we chat?"

 _'Yeah. All of the patients got out okay, they're in a hospital just outside of the danger zones.'_ Stephen said as Elizabeth stepped over a few pieces of rubble. _'Only one died that we know of, Doctor Cook's body was found by Black Widow shortly after you got out.'_ Elizabeth frowned. She wasn't very good friends with Doctor Cook, but she was still an important person to her.

"Okay. Thanks Steph."

_'No problem, Liza. Are you doing okay, y'know, after all this stuff about the Battle of New York?'_

"I'm doing okay. Just concerned about the people majorly affected... How about you, Steph?"

 _'I'm fine thanks Liza.'_ Stephen said, a beat passing. ' _I have to go, Nurse Palmer needs me. Talk later?'_

"Talk later, bye Steph!"

 _'Bye!_ ' With that, the line went dead, leaving Elizabeth to walk around the ruined city alone. She scrolled through CouchSurfing.com, scanning for a guest room to stay in for a few nights. One caught her eye, it was in central Queens, which meant she could take a taxi and be there in an hour, and it only cost twenty bucks for a night. Digging through her PayPal account, she found a few hundred dollars. Elizabeth quickly opened the offer of the guest room and quickly placed an order, receiving an immediate text from the person renting it.

_'Hi! I hope you don't mind but I have an eleven year old son in the apartment. The guest room is still open if you need it, though.'_

_'Thanks! I don't mind, I just need a place to stay for a few nights, my apartment was destroyed. I can make it in around an hour.'_

_'Of course! I'll clean up and see you then!_ ' And with that, the conversation ended. Elizabeth placed her phone back into the back pocket of the jeans and waited for a cab to drive by. She spotted one, hailed it over, and got in.

"Hi, do you take PayPal by any chance? My credit cards were destroyed." The driver nodded, letting Elizabeth let out a sigh of relief. "Fifteenth street, Queens please." The driver nodded, pulling out from the side of the road onto the Manhattan streets. Once again, Elizabeth rested her head onto the side of the cab window, letting her eyes shut before lulling her body into sleep.

**♦♢♦**

The car stopping outside of an apartment building jolted the female doctor awake, letting her input her PayPal username into the driver's phone before making sure she was only charged sixty dollars. Elizabeth stepped out of the cab, watching as it rushed past her before stepping into the apartment building, buzzing room two. She entered, walking up the steps and knocking on the door. As it opened, she was greeted by a woman in her late thirties, a large smile on her face.

"Hi! Come on in. The place isn't much, but we're just glad it wasn't touched by the invasion." The woman said, sitting down and patting the couch seat next to her. "Please, make yourself at home. My nephew will be home from school in a few hours, so if you need anything to eat I'll order something from downtown, there's not much in the kitchen."

"Thank you so much. I'm famished, but I'll get something for lunch in an hour or so, but I don't want to make you do anything. I'll go out myself." Elizabeth said, sitting down next to the woman. Her smile was large, but it was welcoming, it felt like home to Elizabeth.

"If you insist." She said, patting the younger girl's shoulder.

"Thank you, again, for taking my offer. I'm Elizabeth, but my friends call me Liz, Liza, Beth, and Eli." The woman nodded, shaking Elizabeth's hand after it was placed in front of her. She could feel the indent of a wedding ring on the woman's finger, but Elizabeth didn't want to pry.

"It's nice to meet you, Elizabeth.

I'm May."


	6. CHAPTER FIVE

(2012)

"It's nice to meet you, Elizabeth. I'm May." May smiled as Elizabeth shook her hand. As their hands pulled away, Elizabeth's stomach rumbled loudly. May chuckled, opening up her phone and pulling up something that the doctor couldn't see, until she put it away minutes later.

"I ordered some lunch, I hope you're okay with a BLT, I ordered it with faux bacon, just in case you're vegetarian." Elizabeth immediately felt bad. She hadn't even stayed a night in the woman's house and she already felt as if she was leeching off of her.

"Thank you, but you shouldn't have. And, I appreciate the thought, but I'm not vegetarian. I do like faux bacon though." May smiled, and got up. Grabbing her coat, the older woman shrugged it on, grabbing her cheap purse and hung it around her shoulder. "I have to go, my nephew's parent teacher conference is right after one. There's two twenties on the counter near the fridge, that should be enough to cover lunch." Elizabeth nodded, thankful for all of the woman's help.

"Thanks, May. Tell your nephew I say hi!"

"Will do. I'll see you around three." And with that, the door closed, Elizabeth standing up and roaming around the apartment. She entered what she assumed to be the guest room first. The bed was neatly made up, with a key to the apartment in the middle. It was fairly vintage, except for the two modern lamps sitting on each nightside stand. There was a small dresser with a mirror hanging above it, and a plant sat next to it, with a pouf in front of it. Elizabeth stepped out of the room, walking into the small but cozy kitchen. It had linoleum tiles, and it matched the top of the counters. Elizabeth felt bad for snooping, but no harm would be done if May never knew, right? She gazed at the photo frames that littered the wall of the kitchen. One, was a photo of a younger May and a young man, on their wedding day. The bottom read 'Ben and May - 2000' One of the others was a photo of May and who Elizabeth guessed was her nephew. He looked like an adorable kid. Before Elizabeth could look at the other photos, there was a buzz that came in. It was the food delivery, so she quickly buzzed the delivery man in. After a few minutes, a knock on the door was heard, and Elizabeth opened the door.

"Hi, thanks for the food." Elizabeth put the food on the counter before grabbing the money off of the bar.

"That'll be fifteen dollars." She handed him the money, spared five bucks for a tip, and closed the door. Elizabeth opened the food and grabbed her BLT, taking out the salad and chicken sandwich and put them in the fridge, assuming they were for May and her nephew. She sat down at the small round table with her food and ate. It was quiet, and nice. Elizabeth was raised in chaos, and sometimes it got to her, and that's why she lived alone, rather than in a mansion with Stephen, or a crappy motel with Marilyn and her school teacher salary. Pepper had always asked and given her the offer to stay at Stark Tower, but she enjoyed staying alone in her small apartment. It had a sense of home, and coziness in the winter. It wasn't the best apartment, but it made Elizabeth feel happy. And as she scraped her leftovers into the trash, she couldn't help but feel somewhat homesick. She missed the crappy wallpaper that always peeled off around the edge, she missed the table, one leg always broke off. She missed her home. Taking off her shoes, Elizabeth walked into the guest room and shut the door, setting an alarm for just before three. She wrote out a quick sticky note with a bunch of information about James Barnes again, before tearing it off and placing it on her windowsill. She put the rest of her sticky notes back into her jeans pocket. Elizabeth kept the pad of notes from the motel just in case the Winter Soldier had followed her. Turning off the lights and using the spare key that May had left her to lock the front apartment door, she laid down on top of the covers in the guest bed, closing her eyes and dreaming of what it'd be like to go to Romania on a vacation, maybe say hello to the Sebastian guy that the woman at the motel was talking about. Plums were an abundance in Romania, and she heard they were good for memory, so maybe she'd get some for James.

Soon enough, her thoughts enveloped her into a deep sleep.

**♦♢♦**

As the alarm blared into her ears, Elizabeth got up, stretching and putting her shoes back on before looking out the window. It was peaceful. Sure, the streets were bustling with people, but it was better than giant aliens coming through a huge wormhole in the sky. Elizabeth exited the guest bedroom and lingered in the main room for a bit, breathing in the homey feel of the apartment. It wasn't expensive, but it was beautiful in it's own way. Suddenly, the door opened, and May walked through with, who Elizabeth assumed to be her nephew, behind her.

"Hi Elizabeth!" She waved, letting her nephew place his backpack on the counter and start unpacking the leftover from his lunch. "Peter, this is Elizabeth, she's going to be staying with us for a while." Peter looked at the girl and smiled, rushing up to her and giving her a big hug. Although, he was small, so his body was wrapped around her legs. Elizabeth chuckled and hugged him back, suddenly feeling a big rush of emotion, remembering that she had always wanted a child to hug.

"Hi Peter, it's nice to meet you." She leaned down and met the boy eye-to-eye. "I'm a doctor."

Peter gasped. "Really?! That's so cool! I want to be a scientist when I grow up! Just like Doctor Banner! He's my idol!" Elizabeth smiled. This kid had such big dreams, and she could only hope he got to fulfill them. She remembered how, when she was Peter's age, she wished she could become an actor. Elizabeth would've loved acting, but as she grew older, she knew that saving people's lives was much more important to her. "How old are you?" The young boy asked, smiling and showing Elizabeth his full set of teeth, only missing one on the side.

"I'm twenty-six." She answered. "How old are you?"

"Eleven!" He yelled excitedly. Both Elizabeth and May chuckled before the older woman ushered him back into the kitchen, grabbing the leftover takeout from the fridge and giving some to Peter. He took an apple juice and left to his room, grabbing some stuff out of his bag before leaving. Elizabeth looked back at May, sitting down in the living room on the larger couch, the other woman sitting on the living chair beside her.

"He's probably just gone off to tinker on his computer. He loves to try and reprogram old technology." May sighed. "I'll never understand that kid." Elizabeth smiled as May ate her sandwich, basking in the strangely comfortable silence that engulfed the apartment. Elizabeth stood up as her phone began to rang, shooting May an apologetic look and climbing out the fire escape window, clicking the green circular button.

"Hello, this is Doctor Elizabeth Walters."

_'Hi Doctor Elizabeth. This is Logan, your superior.'_

"Oh, hey Logan! Any news on the hospital?"

 _'Yes, actually.'_ He paused, Elizabeth could hear the ruffling of paper on the other line. _'We're lucky, we have another hospital down the street for chronic patients to stay, so you and everyone else will be working with live-in patients and recovering patients until the hospital is remodeled, and you can start working in emergency again.'_

"Sounds good." The wind started whipping Elizabeth's hair around, causing her to place her phone against her cheek and shoulder and attempt to pull her hair into a ponytail using the stray elastic band on her wrist. The line went dead on the other side, Elizabeth shoving her phone back into the pocket of her borrowed pants and stepped back into the apartment. In the moment, she remembered she needed more clothes other than the ones she had taken from the motel owner. So, she approached May.

"Hey, I'll be back in about an hour. I need some clothes other than my scrubs and these." May nodded, finishing her meal before shooting Elizabeth a thumbs-up. The doctor grabbed the spare key to the apartment and left, walking down the long hallway and down the stairs. Finally, Elizabeth reached the streets. She walked along, finding the nearest bank and making sure she was on route. The roads were beautiful. No cracks, no giant pieces of building crashed into it. And although people were still shaken up about what had happened to the neighboring city, they treated it like it was a normal day in Queens. Elizabeth made it to the bank and entered, and came out a while later with a new credit card, hers having been destroyed along with her wallet in the hospital disaster. Thankfully, across from the bank was a small clothing store, so Elizabeth walked in and immediately fell in love. It had the aesthetic of a small bookstore in France, it felt homey and warm, quiet and peaceful, and there were plants everywhere. After a few minutes, Elizabeth had chosen out a few outfits that she could wear before getting back to New York City. She couldn't burn out a lot of her money, as she was technically out of a job until her apartment was back in good shape. The woman at the cashier was a teenager, but she seemed very kind and her smile was warming to Elizabeth's heart. The cashier scanned the three shirts, skirt and three pairs of pants that she bought and rang her up. The doctor put in her PIN before grabbing her bag full of clothes, nodding to the teenager she left the warm atmosphere, the cold spring wind chilling her skin and giving her goosebumps. After a few hours of wandering the streets of Queens, Elizabeth walked back into May's apartment building, the sun setting, but Elizabeth was strangely not hungry for dinner. Unlocking the door, she stepped into the apartment, checking the time on the wall clock before retiring to the guest room. It was eight at night, and it was quite early to go to sleep for her, but after working many twenty-four hour shifts at the hospital in the past two weeks, she let herself close her eyes, and fall asleep.


	7. CHAPTER SIX

(1987)

A dark-haired child laid in a crib, fast asleep. The room was painted gray, but had some yellow walls and decorations to give it a childish feel. The ceiling fan whirred, the girl in the crib feeling warm even if gusts of cold air kept nipping at her face. She was wrapped in a wool blanket, thick enough to keep her warm, but not thick enough to suffocate her. The baby giggled a bit, waking up and glancing around the room. She loved her nursery. It didn't have a lot of toys, but she made friends with the family that lived in the little hole beside her crib. Her mom had told them they were 'mice', and they were only there because she couldn't afford to get rid of them, but the baby girl grew fond of the family of mice that lived there. Sometimes, if they were angry, they would bite the baby, but she just learnt not to go straight up to their hole, rather to crawl around the nursery a bit before approaching one if it had emerged from their burrow. If the girl was lucky, she'd steal some cheese from the fridge and feed it to the family. In one of her fairytale books, it said that mice like cheese. But the girl never did it again, as her mom yelled at her afterwards. Most of the words she couldn't understand, but some words she picked out like 'Money' and 'Wasting'. The girl giggled at the thought of the funny little mouse family, and continued looking around the room again. She did it a lot when she was bored and stuck in her crib. There was a big bed on the other side of the room, and sometimes, if she had nightmares, the baby girl would sleep with her mom on the bed. A woman who looked similar to the baby picked her up, carrying her to the large bed in the center of the room. The woman placed the baby down on her knee, making sure to support her with her left arm, while the young girl sat on her left thigh. The woman, the baby's mother, grasped a photo tightly in her hand, showing it to the baby. It was a photo of a man, though, it was very fuzzy. It was black and white, and the young baby couldn't read the caption.

"That's James Barnes. Now, he was a war hero. Better than Captain America himself." The child's mother always told her stories about Captain America. They even had a vinyl set of 'Star Spangled Man With a Plan', which made the girl giggle every time, as her mother showed her photos of the ridiculous suit he had to wear. So when the name James Barnes came up, the girl tilted her head, confused. Her mother never talked about James Barnes. "He was Captain America's best friend. And he gave his life for the army. At least... that's what was written." Once again, the baby was confused. If it was written, it had to be true, right? All books were true, especially the ones about mermaids. Thinking about the funny story of Peter Pan, the girl giggled. But it was quickly silenced by knocking at the door, causing the baby to immediately start wailing because of the harsh, unexpected noise. Her mother stroked her hair, shushing her, and rocking her back and forth on her thigh.

"Just a moment, please..." The last part was a whisper as she yelled to the front door. As the knocking ceased, the girl stopped crying, only sniffles remained. Her mother placed her in the crib, wrapping her in her woolen blanket and kissing the top of her head. She left through the big white door of the room. A few moments of silence passed, letting the baby start to giggle about her covered toes bouncing back and forth. Sooner or later, yelling came from the front entryway to the house.

"Please, I have a child!" The girl's mother screamed, her voice cracking. The baby didn't want to see her mother scream, and the loud noises made her start crying again. She wanted to see the mouse family, they always gave her comfort when her mother was yelling. Sometimes, if she came home with a bottle, the child knew she'd be yelling at herself for a while, so the baby always crawled back into her room and played with the mice. Sometimes, if she did something wrong her mom would yell, but after a while she'd get quiet, and start crying. With that, the baby would crawl over to her and snuggle into her, trying to calm her down like how the mother did to her. But, the crib fence was up, so it made it even harder for the girl to find comfort, and she began to wail again.

This time, she heard another voice. A man's voice. "You know too much ma'am, you've been hiding long enough. It's either you, or her." The voice was low, and it was raspy. Like he hadn't drunken water in years. The girl shook her head at that, she loved water, and milk. She wouldn't be able to go a day without it! Her happier thoughts vanished, as the baby heard furious crying, and she recognized it as her mother's voice. It was high-pitched, something she always recognized when her mother screamed or cried. Sometimes, even, she'd cry so much that she couldn't cry anymore, and that was confusing to the girl.

"This isn't negotiable. Either you die, or you both die." 'Die', she hadn't heard of that word before. Sometimes, in books, her mother would always skip the words that would 'Hurt you', so maybe that was one of the words. For a one-year-old, she was quite smart, but sheltered by her mother, for reasons she never explained. Loud, pounding footsteps made their way down the hall and into the baby's room. Her mother entered, eyes red and puffy, cheeks stained from tears, she looked like a train wreck.

Her mother picked her up, placing her over her left shoulder. "Спокойной ночи, мой милый ангел, надеюсь, ты хорошо отдохнешь." _Goodnight angel, I hope you rest well._ She whispered in Russian. Her mother was Russian, so every night before the child slept her mother sang her a Russian lullaby, the one that she sang that day had always been her favourite. "Я буду скучать по тебе всю ночь, но я буду здесь, так что постарайся не кричать." _I'll miss you the whole night, but I'll be right here, so try not to yell._ As she sang, the child knew something was wrong. Her mother's hands were shaking, when they were usually stable, at least when holding her. More footsteps padded down the hallway, they were lighter, though. A man with a mask had stepped into the room. He had long hair, it almost touched his shoulders, and it looked really soft. The baby wanted to touch it, so she made a grabby motion towards the man, but pouted as her mother held her tighter against her shoulder. As the girl scanned him meticulously, she saw his outfit was quite strange. It had a big black vest on, and when she thought about it, he was wearing all black. It was the middle of summer, which made the girl confused, because her mother had told her that black would contract more heat if you wore it. All her confused thoughts dissipated as she saw that he had a strange patch on his chest, it looked like an octopus, which made the baby giggle.

The girl stopped giggling as her mom grasped her tightly again. "Listen to me, baby girl." She turned the baby around, holding her in front of her at eye level. The mother was smiling softly, and the baby did too, though her mother's eyes told a different emotion. "I need you to remember that your mommy was too selfish. And she-" The mother choked up, voice wavering and cracking. The girl watched as her mother's eyes became more red, puffing up once more and flooding with tears. "-knows that she could have made the wrong decision, but she didn't." The child watched as her mother began to cry, which made her cry too. She began to wail, only for her mother to wipe the baby's tears and shush her softly and caringly. "Don't cry, remember that mommy loves you very much." She kissed the child on the head before hoisting her up onto her shoulder again, rubbing her back soothingly as she whispered more words into her ear.

"Just remember this, my dear Elizabeth." She whispered almost silently, her voice evening out. "James Buchanan Barnes is alive. You can't tell anyone, he is the Winter Soldier. Okay?" The child nodded, starting to become entertained by the movement of her head. She continued to bop her head up and down, easily distracted by her head movements. Her mom turned around, letting the man rip Elizabeth from her arms. The baby cried, watching as her mother knelt to the ground in sorrow. She didn't want to leave her mother. What would happen to her? What about the mouse family? Would they be okay? Thoughts swirled in and out of her mind as Elizabeth was carried through the hallways of her house, the sounds of her mother's screaming becoming less and less audible. The child bit and scratched and thrashed around, but the man holding her had a tight grip on the child. He placed her down on the road, sitting her up against a garbage can before walking into the house. A few moments passed, Elizabeth crying more because her butt hurt against the cold concrete than anything else. But, before she could stop crying, a large gunshot went off, letting Elizabeth cry more and more. The man came back, a few blood stains on his tactical suit. The words 'The Winter Soldier' were written on the vest, but the young baby couldn't read yet, so it meant nothing to her. The man picked her up again, pushing his large gun back into his backpack. The baby couldn't see his face, as it was covered in red-tinted glasses and a black mask. But, upon seeing Elizabeth, he took his eyewear off, staring at the girl. Seeing his blue eyes, she giggled, grasping his long hair and sticking her tongue out. The man looked confused at the young Elizabeth's actions. He was a trained assassin, but here he was, softening up to a young child. One of the HYDRA helicopters quickly landed in, the neighbors coming out to see the fuss. Many gunshots were heard, and all of the neighbors and civilians had dropped dead. The Winter Soldier covered the baby's ears and eyes, even though she was going to work for HYDRA, something in him pulled out to comfort her. The soldier sighed, knowing that he was going to have to get prepped and wiped again. So, he headed into the helicopter, still shielding Elizabeth's ears from the loud whirring of the rotor. The two other men inside the helicopter glanced at his protective stance against the baby and muttered something, the other opening his communications system and talking into it.

"Yeah, you're gonna need to wipe him after the kid gets back, he's protecting it." The child could feel the heavy sigh the soldier emitted. His whole chest lifted her head up and back down again, and he was wearing layers upon layers of heavy-duty gear. Soon enough, the girl's eyes fluttered shut, a yawn coming from her three-toothed mouth. The soldier held her tight as they took off, shaking his head and reassuring himself he was protecting her only because HYDRA said they needed her back alive. Somehow, among all the many people the soldier guessed he had killed, the woman had resonated with him. She had a child, a young child, and she was willing to give up her life for this baby to stay alive, even under the worst of conditions. Remembering what his boss said to quiet down the girl, he began to talk through his mask.

"Стрекоза, стрекоза, не бойтесь..."

_Dragonfly, dragonfly, don't be scared..._


	8. CHAPTER SEVEN

(2014)

Two years after The Battle Of New York, Elizabeth moved just out of state into New Jersey. She lived on the border in a small farmhouse with a bit of land for her gardens. Elizabeth had dealt with too much considering the aftermath of 2012, so after going to a few years worth of therapy, both emotional and physical, she got a smaller job in a small town around twenty minutes away from her house. It was a small hospital, but she was still saving lives. Although not being able to see them as much, she still stayed in contact with Stephen, Marilyn, Natasha and Tony. It was nice to have people around her more often, while still having the pleasure of solitude. So, as she got up and shivered, Elizabeth shrugged on a sweater and some overalls and gazed out the window. She loved her home, truly. It was pasture as far as she could see, and the light fogginess of the early day blocked off the sight of where her property ended, the fence surrounded by trees. Quickly, she used what was leftover in the watering can on the windowsill to water the plants in her room. They were scattered all over. Some were placed on her dresser and nightstands, but most of them framed the window across from her bed. After finishing taking care of her plants, Elizabeth left the small cottage, walking along the short grass and into the pasture. It was still foggy from the cold night before, but you could still make out the red sun poking out from behind the trees. She picked up her bucket and headed down towards her cows. Sometimes, Marilyn would come and stay in her guest room, and a part of Elizabeth wanted her to move in so that she could go travel the world, something that she never got to do before, but something in Elizabeth told her to stay for a while longer. As she fed the cows, thoughts of her friends swirled into her mind. Tony hadn't visited the cottage yet, probably because he'd dislike the homey feel of it, but Pepper had popped in on more than one occasion. Stephen had visited, but not often, he was busy at his new hospital. Elizabeth was happy for him, and glad that he had a new partner, Doctor Palmer, to help with his arrogance. Steve had visited quite a lot, almost as much as Marilyn. Elizabeth deduced that he really had nothing to do after The Battle Of New York, but she enjoyed his company. Plus, it gave her time to learn about the old times, and she helped him learn about the modern technologies of the world. But, as of then she was alone, finishing feeding her farm animals before heading back inside to her cottage. It rained the night before, so Elizabeth was off the hook for watering her outdoor garden plants. She immediately warmed up as she entered her art studio, lighting up the fireplace and opening the drapes to get some natural light in. The clouds circled over the town and it began to rain lightly, little taps being heard on the window every so often. Elizabeth grabbed her watercolors and a leftover canvas, placing it onto her easel before grabbing her brushes, too. All set up, she began to paint the outside scenery of what she saw out her window. It was something Elizabeth drew a lot, and most of the artworks that were of the pasture were hung loosely on the studio wall with tape and pins. As she went to change her colours, her phone began to rang from her desk. Quickly, Elizabeth put her brushes into her water jar and picked up the phone, seeing it was an unknown number. She clicked the green button anyway, full of curiosity.

"Hello, this is Doctor Elizabeth Walters speaking."

_'Liz, it's Steve. We don't have much time. You need to do exactly as I say.'_

"Okay... Steve what's going on?"

_'After you hang up, smash your phone and drive to 6273 Georgia Place. We'll explain everything once you get there.'_

"You bet your ass you will."

_'Language, Liz!'_

"I'll see you there."

 _'Don't trust anyone.'_ And with that, the line went dead. Elizabeth threw her phone to the hardwood floor and smashed it with her foot a few times, grabbing the tracker out of it and stomping on it as well. She quickly ran upstairs to her bedroom, taking off her jumper and overalls and pulling on a black tank top, a green plaid cardigan and a pair of black leggings. Elizabeth pulled her hair into a tight ponytail before leaving the cottage, empty handed, which felt strange to her. She opened her car door and turned the engine on, pulling out of her driveway and into the dense forest road. For a while, it was just trees, besides the occasional pull off to someone's home or a small resting spot, but after she passed the town she worked at, Elizabeth saw nothing but forest for miles. Finally, the road cleared up and became paved and cleaner, and it was a longer while until she started seeing people. Elizabeth pulled onto the highway and soon enough, her roads were surrounded by skyscrapers that dotted New York. Brooklyn approached, and she almost stopped to look at the apartment she had stayed at after The Battle of New York. May and her kept in touch, but Elizabeth knew that she was busy juggling Peter and a job, so that led to a bit of space between the two women. She had always offered for May and Peter to stay at her farmhouse for a while, but May always declined. Elizabeth understood, as she heard from May that her nephew had gotten onto the decathlon team at his school, and Elizabeth also knew that it was his dream to become a scientist. The thoughts were shaken out of her head as she approached Georgia Place. It was a small neighborhood filled with either trailers or one-story homes, and Elizabeth couldn't help but wonder why Steve was there, of all places. She exited the car and knocked on the door. It opened, showing Steve, the only thing separating the two friends was the secondary screen door. Steve opened it, pulling the young female doctor into a tight hug.

"Thank god, they haven't gotten to you yet." That sentence made Elizabeth even more confused. Yet, before she could utter a word, she was dragged into the small house. Two people sat at a round, wooden table. One was a male, he looked to be African-American, and had a buzzcut. He wore a very tight-fitting shirt and cargo pants. Across from him, sat a familiar redhead. It had been a while since Elizabeth had seen her face-to-face, and she had changed since the day that she saved the doctor. Natasha's short, red hair was now a brighter colour, with a more orange tone, and it was shoulder-length. She wore a black tank top and pants, almost matching with her old friend. Immediately, the redhead pulled the doctor into a hug, sighing into the shorter girl's hair with relief. Natasha and Steve sat down, signaling for Elizabeth to take the only empty seat left, so she did. The man sitting beside her opened his hand out, letting the doctor shake it firmly.

"I'm Sam Wilson. It's a pleasure to meet you, Doctor." He introduced, pulling his hand away. Elizabeth guessed that this was his home, and she couldn't help but feel cozy in it. The kitchen was small, but livable. And the living room was very old-fashioned, but it had little bits and bobs of modernistic life placed everywhere. It was a beautiful home.

"Please, call me Elizabeth. It seems like we'll be more than acquaintances depending on the situation." With that, Steve sighed, handing the doctor a file. "What's this?" She asked, opening it, only to find compiled photos of Sam Wilson with mechanical hawk wings on. She closed it again, seeing the words 'FALCON' written on it. The file was classified, but she guessed that because it was Sam himself, he got access to the file.

"HYDRA has been growing under our noses amongst SHIELD since it was created. Right now, we're fugitives. And if you help us, you are too." Elizabeth listened to Steve intently. "Project Insight was originally created to monitor street view and protect citizens. But, HYDRA has managed to hack into it with something called 'Zola's Algorithm'. After he died, they put his brain into databanks, and made some form of HYDRA scanning system with it." She knew about Project Insight. Pepper had told her about it when she visited the farmhouse a while back, as Tony had created the repulsor engines for them. "We need to find out who is a part of HYDRA currently, what Zola's Algorithm is, and how to stop it from killing millions."

"That's always their intent. No matter what 'good' it does, millions always die in the process." Natasha spoke, awfully quiet. She seemed to notice Elizabeth's concerned looks, and sighed. "One of their assassins, The Winter Soldier, took down Director Fury. We're on our own." Nick Fury had taken Elizabeth in when nobody else trusted her. After Coulson's death, she was shattered, as well. But Nick, she felt like he was one of the only ones left that trusted her after all the things she did. On top of that, The Winter Soldier had killed Nick Fury. It wasn't James Buchanan Barnes, and Elizabeth knew that. Before HYDRA brainwashed her, one memory remained. And that's how she knew that James Buchanan Barnes was HYDRA's killing machine. Elizabeth didn't know if Steve, Sam, or Natasha knew the classified information, so she kept quiet.

A terrible silence ripped through the trio, until Sam spoke up. "Our best lead is Alexander Pierce and Brock Rumlow. Superman over here got jumped in the elevator by Rumlow and his crew. We were headed off to get to Pierce until she suggested you come." Elizabeth smiled at the thought that Natasha had gone out of her way to make sure Elizabeth was a part of it.

"Well, what are we waiting for, then?"

Elizabeth smirked.

"Let's gank this bitch."

"Language!"


	9. CHAPTER EIGHT

(2014)

"You in position, Cap?"

 _'Yes.'_ Elizabeth shut her earpiece off and continued waiting in the elevator alongside Natasha. Steve was in the building across from them with a sniper, aiming on Agent Sitwell as Sam threatened him. It was Elizabeth and Natasha's job to get some information out of him, they were on a time limit. Maria told them that they had barely twenty-four hours until the Insight Carriers were launched, so they had to do with the time we had. Meaning, they all took five espresso shots before leaving Sam's house. Jasper Sitwell finally entered the elevator, the two women grasping his arms on either side tightly before the elevator rose up. After a few moments in silence, the three left the elevator and stepped onto the roof of the apartment building, dragging the HYDRA infiltrator onto the edge of the roof.

Elizabeth spoke first. "Tell me about Zola's algorithm."

"Never heard of it." He responded, smirking lightly.

"LIAR!" She yelled, grasping the edges of Jasper's blazer tightly, dangling him further off the roof. "What the hell were you doing on the Lemurian Star?" Elizabeth asked again, Natasha standing behind her slightly, not making a noise or any effort to ask any questions herself.

"I was throwing up." Jasper looked down at the ground below him and up back to Elizabeth. "I get seasick." The doctor pushed him further towards the ground below, a murderous glare in her eyes as he simply smirked. "Is this little display meant to insinuate that you're going to throw me off the roof?" He taunted, smiling wider. "Because that's not really a doctor style thing to do, Walters."

It was Elizabeth's turn to smile. "You're right, it's not a very righteous thing to do." She said, taking her hands off of his blazer and patting his chest in reassurance. "It's hers." With that, Elizabeth backed up and Natasha came forward, kicking the man in the chest and letting him fall.

"I wonder if Steve would like that girl from accounting, Laura...?"

"Lillian." Elizabeth answered. "Lip piercing, right?"

Natasha nodded. "Yeah, she's cute." Before Elizabeth could make a reply towards Natasha's set-up with the captain, Sam flew up, throwing Sitwell back down onto the roof. He landed, folding his mechanical wings in as he turned around to face the two girls. They all stepped towards the HYDRA infiltrator.

"Zola's algorithm is a program for choosing Insight's targets!" He yelled, afraid of what the trio could do next.

"What targets?" Elizabeth asked, the three of them gaining closer and closer to the heap of a man laying on the roof.

"You! A TV anchor in Cairo, the Undersecretary of Defense, a high school valedictorian in Iowa city. Bruce Banner, Stephen Strange-" Stephen... "anyone who's a threat to HYDRA! Now, or in the future." Elizabeth knew that all of her friends, and her, would be on that list of people to knock down. This was getting out of hand quickly.

Natasha was the one to ask next, Elizabeth still in her worried thoughts. "How does it know about future threats?"

"How could it not?" Jasper said with a laugh. "The twenty-first century is a digital book. Zola taught HYDRA how to read it." The three of them looked at the HYDRA agent in confusion once more. "Your bank records, medical histories, voting patterns, e-mails, phone calls, your damn SAT scores. Zola's algorithm evaluates people's past to predict their future."

Taking in a shaky breath, Elizabeth asked the next question. "And what then?"

"Oh, my God. Pierce is going to kill me."

"What then?" She yelled, firmer this time.

"Then the Insight Helicarriers scratch people off the list." He said, looking up at Natasha and Elizabeth. "A few million at a time."

**♦♢♦**

The squad sat in Sam's car. Sitwell sat pressed against the left window, with Natasha and Steve sitting next to him. Sam drove, and Elizabeth took shotgun, loading up the handgun she borrowed from Natasha. They rode in silence until they got to the freeway. They headed towards the Triskelion.

Then, Jasper decided to open his mouth. "HYDRA doesn't like leaks."

"Why don't you stick a cork in it then, Sitwell?" Elizabeth retorted, turning towards the man in question before looking back at the gun she was cleaning. It was a simple nine-millimeter, but it would do the trick in case anyone decided to jump the team.

"Insight's launching in sixteen hours." Natasha stated, checking the digital watch on her wrist. "We're cutting it a little bit close here." She said, looking at Steve for a response. They all wondered why Sitwell was still in the vehicle, when Natasha would have easily killed him, but Steve needed him for something.

"I know. We'll use him to bypass the DNA scans and access the Helicarriers directly."

"What?!" Jasper yelled, looking at Steve and back to Natasha, then to Elizabeth. "Are you guys crazy? That is a terrible, terrible idea." Elizabeth rolled her eyes and turned back to Jasper, but he was gone. A metal arm pulled him out from the now shattered window. The man held onto the top of the car, pulling Sam's steering wheel out from above him.

"Shit!" He yelled, looking up at the culprit. Elizabeth pulled out her handgun and sat on the dash, cutting her hands as she gripped tight onto the broken glass that was still attached to the car. She shot at the Winter Soldier, and he jumped onto the vehicle behind them. She hopped back in as the car was pulled off of the road, jumping into the backseat with Sam and Natasha as he pulled off the door.

"Hang on!" Steve yelled, holding onto the door as the squad rolled onto it, sliding through the freeway. As they got up, HYDRA agents joined the Winter Soldier, all of them shooting at the squad. They all split up quickly, and as the Winter Soldier shot at Natasha, Elizabeth managed to knock him in the eye goggle mask, letting Natasha run away. Elizabeth watched from on top of a car as HYDRA agents ran after Steve and Sam. The car next to her had Natasha behind it, she planted a voice recording and ran, leaving the doctor to jump down from on top of the car and hide behind it.

"Go, I got this!" Sam yelled, using a machine gun to hit some HYDRA agents. Elizabeth gave him a thumbs-up and ran back under the bridge, hiding as she reloaded her gun. She watched as the Winter Soldier rolled a bomb underneath the car that Natasha was supposedly under, and the doctor plugged her ears as it exploded. Before she could run to help Natasha fend off the assassin, Elizabeth was jumped by a HYDRA agent. He didn't have much skill, so she knocked him out with the butt end of her gun, then ran after the Winter Soldier, who was after Natasha.

"Go!" Elizabeth ran through the civilians, violently gesturing for them to run. "Get out of the way! Stay out of the way!" She watched as Natasha fell to the ground, clutching her shoulder and resting against a car. The Winter Soldier came up to her, holding a gun, but before Steve could intercept, Elizabeth pushed him to the ground, attacking him. Steve stayed with Natasha and applied pressure to the wound before helping Elizabeth out with the assassin. As they fought, the soldier took Steve's shield, throwing it at Elizabeth. She ducked, grabbing it out of a van before chucking it back at Steve, who was now fighting hand-to-knife with the soldier. She ran up to them again, coming in between Steve and the assassin, but only feeling a piercing, red hot pain in her arm. The assassin yanked his knife out of her arm, and she collapsed, sitting beside Natasha as she tried to hold her arm to stop the bleeding. Before her vision became fuzzy, Elizabeth saw the assassin's mask come off, revealing that he was Bucky Barnes to Sam, Steve, and Natasha.

"Bucky?" Steve asked in astonishment, turning around to face his friend.

"Who the hell is Bucky?" Sam swooped in and kicked James aside before he could shoot the super soldier, and the two wounded women got back up, Elizabeth reloading her gun and taking shots at the man. All of them missed, as she had to use her wounded arm. Natasha passed the grenade launcher Bucky dropped before to Elizabeth, not knowing that she couldn't aim. Elizabeth attempted to aim and shot, only for Bucky to disappear through the smoke of the grenade. The squad heard sirens, HYDRA operatives being led by Rumlow surrounding them.

"Drop the shield, Cap!" He yelled, one of the agents pushing Elizabeth to the ground, only letting out a groan in pain from the adrenaline wearing out. "On your knees! Now! Get down! Get down!" Steve lifted his hands up, only for Rumlow to kick his legs and let him drop down to his knees. Rumlow yelled a few more words, but Elizabeth could only hear the ringing in her ears as her vision became spotty, soon enough, she passed out from blood loss.


	10. CHAPTER NINE

(2014)

Elizabeth regained consciousness as they drove in a van. Natasha was sitting next to Sam, who was applying pressure to her wound, whilst Steve sat next to Elizabeth, doing the same to her arm. Two HYDRA agents in full black tactical outfits sat on the other end of the van.

"It was him." Steve said. "He looked at me like he didn't even know me." Elizabeth kept quiet, she knew that Steve would be pretty shattered if he found out that she had known all along that his best friend was the person that had been trying to kill him for years and years on end. "How's that even possible?" Sam asked, still pushing against Natasha's shoulder. "It was like seventy years ago."

"Didnt-" Elizabeth said, notifying the team that she was awake. "Wasn't he captured in forty-three? Zola, right?" She asked Steve, playing dumb. She knew that Zola had experimented on him, and gave him the super-soldier serum. That wasn't exactly classified information when it came to the Winter Soldier. Very few knew who he was, but HYDRA loved to gloat about how they had taken one of the Alliances' best fighters and converted him into something like Captain America. It was one of their greatest achievements, besides gaining the Tesseract.

Steve stared off into space for a moment. "Yeah... Zola experimented on him. Whatever he did, it helped Bucky survive the fall..."

"None of that's your fault, Steve." Elizabeth said, watching as her redheaded best friend slipped back and forth, in and out of consciousness. Elizabeth's eyesight was very fuzzy, and she could barely make out the difference between Sam and Natasha, they were merged as one.

"Even when I had nothing... I had Bucky." Steve said, wanting his best friend back. Elizabeth would have replied, but her mind was too blank, she couldn't do anything. The blood loss was taking a toll on her, and she knew that Natasha was most likely worse. "If you- can steal me a pair of tweezers when we're at the HYDRA facility, I can remove Nat's bullet." Elizabeth said, shakingly. Steve pushed against her wound more, attempting to make the bleeding stop before they got to the HYDRA base.

"Shut it." One of the agents spoke, using their electric rod and shocking Elizabeth in her stabbed arm, making her cry out in pain. Natasha got up, ready to fight the agent, but Sam held her down, pressuring her bullet wound as she relaxed back down.

"We need to get a doctor here, if we don't get them help they're gonna bleed out here in the truck." As Sam spoke, the other guard took out their electric rod and neutralized the one that had just shocked Elizabeth, taking their helmet off and revealing Maria Hill. "That thing was squeezing my brain."

Elizabeth glared at Maria. "Could've done that before I got shocked." Agent Hill laughed and looked at Sam in confusion. "Who's this guy?"

"That's Sam Wilson. Also known as the Falcon."

"Yeah, yeah, I'm great. Can you get us out of here?" Maria smirked and a blue light flashed in the van, a big, circular hole in the ground appeared, and she jumped down. Sam carried a limp Natasha down quickly and Steve helped Elizabeth down, her stab wound not as fatal as the bullet still in Natasha's shoulder. They walked for a bit, Agent Hill continuing to burn holes in the ground and make it out the other side. She pointed towards an old sewage plant that hadn't been in use for decades. They walked the extra minute and arrived into it.

Two men ran over to the squad. One had brown hair with clear glasses, and the other had black hair with some gray in it, and rather than glasses he had some chin scruff. "GSW. Redhead's lost at least a pint, same with brunette." The brown haired man took Natasha, watching her as she came back to consciousness. The gray-haired man took Elizabeth's good arm, hoisting it over his shoulder. "We'll take them."

"They'll want to see him first." The doctors nodded, carrying their patients into a room. Sam, Steve, Elizabeth and Natasha's eyes bulged as Nick Fury sat in a medical bed. He wore a sling, and his face looked beaten, his usual black eyepatch was replaced by a white medical one.

"About damn time." He said. Elizabeth sat down, crying out in pain as the gray-haired doctor doused her gash in rubbing alcohol, preparing to stitch it up. She looked at Natasha, who sat beside her. The doctor with glasses pulled out her bullet, Natasha screaming in pain into the cloth that was in her mouth. Thankfully, they didn't lose too much blood, and both of them were okay.

"Fury..." Elizabeth said, looking him in the eye. "What the hell happened?"

He scoffed. "Well, after that assassin son of a bitch-" Steve winced at the words used to describe his old friend. "Shot me, I was left with a lacerated spinal column, cracked sternum, shattered collarbone, perforated liver, and one hell of a headache." He laughed, trying to find humour in the problem they were all facing.

"Don't forget about your collapsed lung." The brown haired doctor pointed out. Everyone in the room was slightly smiling, besides Steve. He seemed lost in thought, and Elizabeth knew that he wouldn't be okay after the incident on the bridge. As he stood beside her, she placed her good hand on his shoulder, rubbing it in comfort.

"T-they cut you open... your heart stopped." Natasha said, confusion wiping her face. Her doctor finished the stitches, dousing her wound in alcohol before getting up and leaving the room, Elizabeth's doctor doing the same and following after him.

"Tetrodotoxin B." Nick answered, smiling. "Slows the pulse to one beat a minute. Banner developed it for stress. Didn't work so great for him, but we found a use for it." Even though she was relieved that the director of SHIELD was okay, she couldn't help but feel like there was something else... a nagging feeling.

"Why all the secrecy?" Steve asked, still skeptical of Nick Fury's intentions. "Why not just tell us?"

When Maria spoke up, everyone turned to her. "Any attempt on the director's life had to look successful."

"Can't kill you if you're already dead." Nick laughed. "Besides," He said, looking Steve directly in the eyes. "I wasn't sure who to trust." Nick sighed, getting up out of his bed from the help of Maria. The two girls took that as a sign and got up, following Steve and Sam behind the director out the door, and into a smaller room. It had dim lighting, but there was a table in the center. The group sat down, watching as Nick brought out a black briefcase. He took out a photo, placing it on the table. "This man declined the Nobel Peace Prize. He said; 'Peace wasn't an achievement, it was a responsibility.'" He paused, looking back up. "See, it's stuff like this that gives me trust issues."

Elizabeth asked the first question after a few moments passed. "What's going to happen after we stop the launch?"

"Well, we have a classified team in California, we'll be assigning them to help rebuild SHIELD under top-secret protocols." Nick answered, almost hearing the next question in Elizabeth's eyes. "The workers, well, we'll be transferring them to normal nine to five jobs. They'll pay well, don't worry."

"We have no choice no matter what, we have to stop the launch." Natasha stated, looking at Elizabeth then back to the director.

Nick scoffed. "I don't think the Council's accepting my calls anymore." He laughed. Elizabeth remembered, once, when she and Natasha were still training with SHIELD, Nick had taken a call with the trainees in the room, he had told the Council to 'Go fuck themselves' and it was probably the best moment in their training. She snapped back to reality, joining back into the conversation.

Fury opened the briefcase, revealing three high-tech chips. "What's that?" Sam asked, but Elizabeth knew exactly what they were.

"HYDRA commissioned one hundred neutralization digitized chips. They could neutralize anything, from high-tech machines-" Elizabeth paused. "To people. There were only one hundred of them made before the blueprints had scattered, and nobody thought to copy it into a database." She chuckled. "There was a break-in, after those chips were made around ten disappeared. These are three of them."

Maria smiled at the doctor's knowledge. "We need to use these neutralizers, once the Helicarriers reach three thousand feet, they'll triangulate with Insight satellites, becoming fully weaponized."

"We need to breach those carries and replace their targeting blades with our own."

"You rewrote the neutralizers?" Elizabeth asked, astonished. "Who did that?"

"Someone from our team in California. She's got better brains than Stark, sometimes."

Maria continued, holding back a laugh at the geeky conversation. "One or two chips won't cut it. We need to link all three carriers for this to work, because if even one of those ships remain operational, a whole lot of people are still going to die."

"We have to assume everyone aboard those carriers is HYDRA." Nick said, the squad nodding at his instructions, Steve, a look of skepticism still on his face. "We need to get past them, insert the neutralizers, and maybe, just maybe, we can salvage what's left...

Steve spoke firmly. "We're not salvaging anything. We're not just taking down the carriers, Nick, we're taking down SHIELD."

"Steve." Elizabeth spoke, turning to him directly. "SHIELD had nothing to do with this. This is our only plan, and salvaging this is our only way of preserving all of our work. Yours included."

"You gave me this mission." Steve said, turning back to Nick. "This is how it ends. SHIELD's been compromised, you said so yourself. HYDRA grew right under your nose and nobody noticed." Elizabeth rolled her eyes. Most of the time, Steve's arrogance was a good thing, but sometimes, it was just plain annoying.

"Why do you think we're meeting in a cave? I noticed." Fury spat.

"And how many paid the price before you did?"

Nick stayed silent for a moment before retaliating. "Look, I didn't know about Barnes."

"Even if you have, would you have told me? Or would you have compartmentalized that too?" Steve said, Nick sitting back in his chair. "SHIELD, HYDRA, it all goes."

Maria spoke after a few seconds of silence. "He's right." Fury looked at Natasha, then Sam.

"Don't look at me. I do what she does, just slower." He said, pointing to Elizabeth. She smiled at Sam and punched him in the shoulder, letting him scowl at the doctor.

"Well..." Nick said, looking at Steve. "Looks like you're giving the orders now, Captain."


	11. CHAPTER TEN

(2014)

It was a foggy afternoon, Elizabeth and Steve stood on the bridge outside of the SHIELD base, gazing down at the water. It was a peaceful silence, and Steve seemed lost in thought. Elizabeth wondered what he was thinking about, but it was probably Bucky, or Peggy. She knew that he was having trouble with Peggy, trouble moving on and starting a new life in the modern times. But, Elizabeth couldn't blame him. You sleep for seventy years, you're bound to be disoriented, and you never really know how attached you are to your life until you're ripped away from it.

"Hey..." Elizabeth spoke softly, rubbing a hand on the man's shoulder. He looked at her, a soft, disheartened look on his face. "I can't begin to imagine what you're going through, Steve. But we have to get through this. Bucky is out there, and he's still in there somewhere, I know it." She smiled. "You used to tell me all these crazy stories about him, and honestly, I feel like I know him, even though the first time we met he tried to kill me." Elizabeth lied, chuckling. Of course it hadn't been the first time she had met James, he had tried to kill her many times, and she had noticed him in the hallways of where she trained in the Red Room.

Steve sighed. "Thanks, Elizabeth."

Sam joined them on the bridge, staying a few feet away and gazing off the other end. "He's gonna be there, you know?" Elizabeth tried to ignore the shooting pains in her arm, the doctor told her it would go away before they had to kill a whole bunch of people, which Elizabeth didn't want to do in the first place. Her job was to save people, not kill them.

"I know..." Steve replied, still clinging his eyesight into the river.

"Look, whoever he used to be, the guy he is now, I don't think he's the kind you save." Sam said, not sugar-coating it. "He's the kind you stop." Steve sighed, rubbing his hand against his forehead, then against his neck. Elizabeth patted her friend's back, sending a glare to Sam for his poor choice in words.

"I don't know if I can do that." Steve said.

"Besides," Elizabeth started, turning from Steve to Sam. "There's still a part of him in there. That's how HYDRA works." Elizabeth said, gaining the two men's attention. "Their technology is top-level, but it doesn't mean it doesn't have flaws." She sighed, looking down at the ground. "I was brainwashed," Elizabeth spoke, Steve and Sam's eyes on her as she looked back up. "I still have one or two fuzzy memories that reminded me of who I was before, and somehow that stopped me from being able to kill people."

"So then what did you do in HYDRA?" Sam asked.

"I was a doctor. But that doesn't mean I wasn't trained on how to kill someone in fifty different ways." Elizabeth spoke, a little softer as she recalled the excruciating days where she was trained against her will to what seemed like no end. "I know how to snipe a man from a distance." She said. "Doesn't mean I want to."

"Well, how ever much that guy remembers, he might not give you guys a choice." Sam said, the other two across from him knowing he was right. "He doesn't know you."

"He will." Steve said, determination in his voice. Elizabeth watched as Nick came through the door of the base, nodding to her before disappearing back into the sewage plant.

"Gear up guys, it's time." She said, turning around and walking towards the entrance of the base.

Sam scoffed. "You gonna wear that?" Elizabeth laughed, turning around so she was walking backwards and facing Sam.

"No." She said. "If you're gonna fight a war-"

Steve finished her sentence. "You got to wear a uniform."

**♦♢♦**

"Hey, Tony." Elizabeth spoke on the phone, smirking.

_'What's up lil' gal?'_

"I need an outfit..."

_'Say no more.'_

**♦♢♦**

Elizabeth, Sam, Steve and Maria Hill stood in the Triskelion. Maria and Sam were loaded with handguns and packs full of ammo. Steve was in his iconic Captain America outfit from the Smithsonian, he wasn't equipped with a weapon, only his shield. Elizabeth wore a unique outfit, and she smiled, liking how badass the four of them looked. It was a corset with two long black pieces of fabric that wrapped around, and some leather pants. There was another red one beside it, but Elizabeth decided the black ensemble worked well. She had a nine millimeter strapped to her thigh, but she held a simple silenced pistol in her hand. The door opened, and a man walked out, facing himself with the barrel of three guns and a super soldier.

"Excuse us." Steve said, the man holding up his hands and stepping aside. The four walked in, seeing a large technical desk with many computers, and the PA system. Maria sat down, Elizabeth standing behind her and watching as she got into the mainframe of the Helicarrier programming. She saw millions upon millions of names come up, Stephen Strange, Grace Cook, Steve Rogers, Bobby Singer, people she didn't know, people she knew, there were even people who didn't even exist yet on that list. Sam stood against the window, pulling his Falcon wings over his shoulders. Steve logged into the PA.

"It's now or never, Steve." Elizabeth said, locking eyes with the super soldier. He nodded, pressing the button. The four of them heard the three notes that came through the speakers, Elizabeth watching the security cameras on one of the monitors. Hundreds of SHIELD workers and HYDRA agents stopped in the main rooms, trying to pay attention to the upcoming announcement.

"This is Steve Rogers." He spoke. "You've heard a lot about me over the last few days, some of you were even ordered to hunt me down. But I think it's time you know the truth." Elizabeth heaved a sigh, looking at Sam with a sad smile on her face, trying to make the best of a horrible situation, at least they were doing the right thing. "SHIELD is not what we thought it was, it's been taken over by HYDRA." The two women watched through the security cameras as some people gasped, some people looked angry that their secret was revealed. "Alexander Pierce is their leader. The STRIKE and Insight crew are HYDRA as well. I don't know how many more, but I know they're in the building. They could be standing right next to you. They almost have what they want: absolute control. They shot Nick Fury and it won't end there." Elizabeth stroked Maria's back as she took a sharp intake of breath. Her and the director were great friends, and she knew that if he had died, Maria wouldn't have been a part of that mission. "If you launch those Helicarriers today, HYDRA will be able to kill anyone that stands in their way, unless we stop them. I know I'm asking a lot, but the price of freedom is high, it always has been, and it's a price I'm willing to pay." Steve paused, looking at Elizabeth, Maria, then Sam. "And if I'm the only one, then so be it. But I'm willing to bet I'm not."

Sam smiled and stepped beside Steve. "Did you write that down first, or was it off the top of your head?" The four laughed, watching as a bunch of agents in the control room began to face off, pressing guns to each other's heads, forming a long line of people. HYDRA, SHIELD, HYDRA, SHIELD.

"They're initiating the launch." Maria said, turning to the other three. They nodded to her.

Elizabeth spoke. "We need to get onto those Helicarriers now." She said, Steve and Sam turning towards her. "We'll each take one chip." She said, grabbing them out of the briefcase. Elizabeth placed one in her back jean pocket, zipping it up for good measure. "Cap, you have to prepare for James to be there." He nodded, staying silent.

"Let's go. We can't waste any more time." Sam said. They all walked out of the room, bidding farewell to Maria before walking down the long hallways of the Triskelion. They ran into five HYDRA agents. Steve went hand-to-hand with one, Sam shot two in the legs, and Elizabeth knocked out three others. She jumped on the last one, wrapping her legs around their head and squeezing, jumping down, legs still attached and brought them down to the ground, rolling off of them as they passed out. Elizabeth got up, brushing herself off before grabbing out her nine millimeter, running back over to Steve and Sam. After what seemed like an eternity, they finally made it to the Helicarrier deck, enjoying their few minutes of solace.

"Let's do this."


	12. CHAPTER ELEVEN

(2014)

The three of them ran towards the rising Helicarriers. "How do we know the good guys from the bad guys?!" Sam yelled, already hyperventilating. It was definitely a workout compared to her usual weight reps, but she was trained to have long endurance. Maybe not as long as Steve's, but longer than the average person. They all kept a steady pace.

"If they're shooting at you, they're bad!" Steve yelled, the three of them running until they got to the edge. Sam opened his Falcon wings and flew off, Steve jumping off the ledge and landing on the bottom of the deck, and Elizabeth grabbed onto Sam's leg, letting him drag her through the air. She watched as Steve began to shield himself from the team on the deck, they were shooting rapidly at him. A large explosion went off, the two watching from the air as Steve used one of their bombs to blow them up. Falcon flew overhead one of the Helicarriers, dropping off Elizabeth on the roof. She regained her balance, being met with a group of HYDRA agents.

"Hello." She smiled, dodging their every bullet. She grabbed out her handgun from her thigh holster and began firing, each one hitting their stomach and bringing them down. One had extra protective layers, and Elizabeth grabbed out her knife as he approached. They began fighting hand-to-hand. Every punch the HYDRA agent flew, Elizabeth blocked. Soon enough, she saw a window and took it, bringing the agent to the ground and knocking him out with the butt end of her gun, not wanting to kill him if it wasn't necessary. "I'm on deck, coming up towards the mainframe."

"Got it." Steve responded, Elizabeth watching as Sam was nearly shot out of the sky.

Sam sounded distressed as he spoke through the earpiece. "Well guys, I found those bad guys that you were talking about." He said. S

"You okay?" Elizabeth asked as she jumped off of the side and grasped onto the edge of the deck, pulling herself through into the main control room of the Helicarrier. It was a few moments before Sam responded, narrowly avoiding each of the shots fired at him from the Helicarriers.

"Not dead yet." She heard Steve chuckle as she leaped down towards the main terminal. The glass was sturdy, as it carried her fall onto it. She locked eyes with the person who was guarding the database. It was Wade Wilson. Elizabeth had read about Team X in SHIELD's files, and now she knew that whoever was a part of that team was helping HYDRA grow in SHIELD. Before she approached the hero, she remembered that he had been taken, and experimented on by William Stryker, who was a former member of Team X. Elizabeth knew that he must've been the HYDRA operative in the team during the Vietnam War.

Maria came on the coms. "Falcon, Walters, status?"

"Engaging." Falcon said, Elizabeth watching as he dove down towards the source of the firing.

"I have access to the terminal." She said, walking closer to Wade. "You're not gonna believe who's here." Wade made the first move, using his iconic katanas to slice at Elizabeth. He missed each shot, the doctor being trained well in every kind of combat. As she moved to make a shot, the assassin jumped her, slicing her stomach slightly. Elizabeth let out a groan, clutching her stomach. She stood back up from her crouching position and jumped onto the back of Weapon XI, wrapping her palms around his neck and squeezing as hard as she could. Wade choked a bit, desperately trying to reach for his katana that he dropped, but he collapsed to the ground before he could catch a swing at her hands.

"Alright guys, I'm in." Sam said.

Elizabeth smirked. "Way ahead of you there, bird boy." She groaned as she rolled off of Wade's back, clutching her bleeding stomach. "Although goddamn, I'm gonna need some sort of medical attention after this."

"We'll go back to the base as soon as we're done." Maria said, continuing to monitor the Insight Carriers. Elizabeth walked over to the control center, opening it up and grabbing her chip from the back pocket. Before she could place it in, a searing pain tore through her hip. She screamed in pain, turning behind her and seeing another HYDRA operative with a gun in his hand.

"Elizabeth, everything okay?" Steve asked, having heard her cries in pain through his earpiece.

She groaned, clutching her side and stomach whilst trying to grab her gun with her other hand. "Nope, very not okay."

"We've got eight minutes, hurry it up so that Elizabeth can get some medical help."

"Working on it." Steve responded. Finally, Elizabeth found the gun. She fumbled with it for a few seconds as the HYDRA agent walked closer, but she managed to get a shot into his thigh, sending him to the ground with a large groan. She pulled out the bottom ammo slot from the holster of the gun, reloading it with the extra bullets in her pocket before closing it back up again, shooting him another time in the cheek for good measure. Elizabeth sighed, letting her gun roll out of her hand as she attempted to get up from her sitting position. She managed to get up, not without an immense effort, though. Finally, she managed to place the chip into the frame, letting all of them neutralize.

"One down." She said, clutching her hip bone.

"I'm on my way down to the main control." Steve responded, recognizing the distress in his teammate's voice.

"Falcon, where are you now?"

"I had to take a detour!" He yelled. Elizabeth looked at the lake below her. She was most likely going to have to jump down, she couldn't get Falcon to fly her down, she was bleeding too much. "I'm in. Bravo locked." Sam said as Elizabeth sat down, dangling her feet off of the edge. She knew it was likely that she'd die, she had a bullet lodged in her hip and was still bleeding from her stomach wound. She pulled off the shoulder of her outfit, peeling down the bandages on her stitches and wrapping it around her slightly exposed hipbone.

"Two down, one to go." Maria said. The pounding in Elizabeth's head increased, Maria's voice seeming louder than before. A large explosion went down from the deck, and Elizabeth stood up, looking behind her. Through the explosion smoke, she could make out Bucky Barnes.

"Cap, he's headed to you." She said, knowing full well that Steve would know who she was talking about as she slumped down back against the glass. Elizabeth knew that she was in a vulnerable position, but it was the only thing she could do. She grabbed the HYDRA agent's sniper and set it up so that it poked out of one of the burnt holes in the glass. Elizabeth used her little strength to look through the scope, looking out for anything that gave away the fact that someone was a HYDRA agent. She watched as Bucky got into one of the QuinJets, it was a perfect chance to shoot, but she couldn't. She knew how much he meant to Steve, and something in her just told her not to shoot.

"Charlie Carrier's forty-five degrees off the port bow." Maria spoke, Elizabeth taking a few lethal shots to the remaining HYDRA operatives on the deck. "Six minutes."

"Hey Sam!" Steve yelled, the doctor watching as he ran across the deck. "I'm gonna need a ride!"

"Roger! Just let me know when you're ready!" Sam responded.

Steve jumped off of the deck, Elizabeth watching as a HYDRA agent shot a missile at him. "I just did!" Elizabeth turned her sniper towards the person who fired the missile, taking one clean shot at the back of his head and watching as he fell to the ground. She turned back up to Sam, who carried Steve up onto the final Helicarrier and dropped him, landing alongside him and tucking in his wings.

"You know, you're a lot heavier than you look."

Elizabeth held in a chuckle, not wanting to flare up her stomach wound. "I had a big breakfast."

"Walters! What's your status?" Sam yelled.

"Currently dying, but other than that, I'm fine."

"We've got the doctors coming into the Triskelion from the base as soon as possible. You'll be fine." Maria reassured, but Elizabeth knew that she wouldn't. They didn't know that she still had a bullet lodged into her hip, and she knew that if she removed it, she'd die on the spot. She turned back to the two boys on the Helicarrier, watching as Steve was pushed off of the edge by Bucky.

"Steve!" Sam yelled, jumping off after him only for Bucky to grasp his left wing. He flung him behind the soldier, letting him fly up for a moment before dodging his every bullet. Something latched onto Sam's wing, making him lose balance in his flight. He plummeted back onto the deck with a harsh fall, Bucky using whatever was attached to his wing to pull it off. He ran towards Sam, kicking him off the edge. Elizabeth gasped, clutching onto her stomach as Sam fell, releasing his other wing and pulling out his parachute, landing onto the launch building.

"Steve! Come in! Are you okay?" Elizabeth groaned, watching as he held onto the side of the Helicarrier.

"Yeah! I'm here!" He responded, grunting. "I'm still on the Helicarrier." He pulled himself up onto a divot in the side of the helicarrier. "Where are you two?"

"I'm in the second Helicarrier. I've got eyes on you."

"What about you, Sam?"

"I'm grounded." Sam responded, defeated. "The suit's down. Sorry, cap."

"Don't worry. I got it."

Maria spoke next. "Falcon?"

"Yeah?"

"Rumlow's headed for the council." Elizabeth groaned, knowing that Natasha was up there with Nick, trying to deal with Alexander Pierce.

"I'm on it." Elizabeth watched through the windows of the Helicarrier as Steve fought Bucky. He entered in the code to the main controls, continuing to fight off Bucky. He pulled the chip out, the assassin punching his shield with his infamous metal arm. They fell off of the deck, landing onto a separate piece of metal. Steve's shield was compromised, so it was hand-to-hand combat, but Steve was no match for his old friend's irregular arm. Bucky held the red, blue, and white shield, throwing it at Steve's back as he attempted to grab what Elizabeth assumed was the chip. It was too small to see from her angle and distance, but she knew that the most important thing at that moment was the chip. Steve threw his shield again, Bucky knocking it behind him with his arm and gaining on the other super soldier, pulling out his small knife again. Elizabeth winced as Bucky stabbed Steve in the shoulder, the doctor knowing that he'd be fine, but if he left it for longer than five minutes, he'd be in danger. Steve held the HYDRA assassin by his throat, his feet dangling in the air to try and find the ground. He was thrust against the ground, she heard a snap and a yell from the earpiece, Bucky passing out as Steve grabbed the dropped chip.

"One minute." Maria called in a distressed tone. Steve launched himself up onto the platform, falling down as Bucky had regained consciousness. He missed the second shot as Steve climbed up the panel. The assassin fumbled, holding his stomach, just like Elizabeth.

"Thirty seconds cap!" Maria yelled again. Elizabeth screamed as Steve got shot in the back again, he was so close to placing the chip in. She watched as he struggled against his wounds, pushing the chip in before slumping back down to a sitting position. "Charlie locked."

"Okay, Cap, Elizabeth, you need to get out of there." Maria said. Elizabeth knew that the Helicarriers were going to fire at themselves. She either had to jump or die, and honestly, one seemed better than the other at that moment. She scanned the water, looking for a safe-ish landing spot.

"Fire now." The two of them spoke in unison.

"But Elizabeth... Steve..."

"Do it!" She yelled. Maria stayed silent as the large guns on the bottom of the ships aimed at each other. Fire began, decimating the sides of the Helicarriers where Elizabeth and Steve were. One of the tanks blew a giant hole in the glass bubble she was in, and she scrambled to stay on the glass that was still in-tact. Smoke filled her nose as she screamed in pain, a piece of metal lodging itself on her leg. Thank goodness it wasn't that heavy, as after a few moments of pushing, it gave out. More explosions came around her, the smoke overflowing and filling her lungs. Elizabeth coughed, trying to stay low as she clutched her hip. Fire caught to her pant leg, and she desperately patted it out, yelling in pain as it scorched her hands. One of the Helicarriers fell down into the water, and Elizabeth's Helicarrier began to orbit towards the Triskelion. She curled up into a ball, squeezing on her stomach and hip as much as she could before rolling out.

"Elizabeth!" Maria yelled, her voice cracking in pain. Elizabeth's body hit the cold water, immediately going into shock as her blood stained the once murky water red. Her earpiece zapped a few times and died, letting Elizabeth sputter up to the surface. Elizabeth made it to the surface, hearing just static from her earpiece. She yanked it out of her ear before coughing out a mix of smoke and water, yelling in pain as she saw the burn marks on her palms. She watched as the Helicarrier rammed itself into the Triskelion.

"Sam!" She yelled, but it came out a hoarse whisper. Elizabeth saw Steve fall through the sky, plummeting into the lake alongside her. "S..te..ve..." Elizabeth tried to move towards him and off of the shore, but the pain in her abdomen and hip was too great to move. She managed to move the slightest, looking at the pool of blood seeping through the grains of sand. Elizabeth watched in awe as Bucky jumped down, reaching out to Steve and pulling him out of the water and onto the shore beside her. As Steve spit up, not fully regaining consciousness, Bucky made a move to walk away.

Elizabeth stopped him, moving just her torso up above the sand. "Please." He looked at her, not saying a word. "Let me help you."


	13. CHAPTER TWELVE

(2014)

Elizabeth sat in a warehouse next to the Winter Soldier, letting a world-famous assassin tend to her gunshot wound. She had left a note on Steve's chest before she passed out and let Bucky carry her to the warehouse, and it just explained that she was safe, and to not come after her. Her thoughts were interrupted as James removed the bullet from her hip, Elizabeth crying out into the piece of leather she had cut from her pants to muffle her screams of pain. Before coming to the warehouse, they had popped into a small shop and bought a simple first aid kit, thank god she had won a bet with Sam, or else she wouldn't have had enough money in her pocket to pay for the supplies. Bucky stitched up her stomach and hip bone, Elizabeth watching as his hair fell into his face every once in a while.

"Here." She said, leaning over his head and pulling his hair into a ponytail with the elastic she had on her wrist. He kept working on her stitches, cutting the leftover string and dousing the wound in alcohol to disinfect it, Elizabeth groaning in pain again. Bucky got up from his crouched position, sitting next to Elizabeth on the metal bench. "The quickest I could book was in an hour, the airport is only a few minute walk from here, but it'll be hard to get through security with your fake passport." Let's just say, Bucky had a friend who used to work for HYDRA that was a professional at making fake IDs.

Bucky stayed silent for what seemed like an eternity, before speaking up for the first time since he had dragged her out of the water. "Where are we going?"

Elizabeth smiled.

"Romania."

**♦♢♦**

The two stepped foot out of the airport in Romania, somehow the air felt lighter, and it felt like a weight had been lifted off of Elizabeth's shoulders. Bucky had taken out his ponytail, since it was uncomfortable to sit against something with a ponytail in, so as they walked down the street to try and find a motel, he pulled it back up again, enjoying the feeling of his hair being up. Elizabeth was exhausted. She had a lot of time to sleep on the plane, but let's be honest, sleeping on a plane is very uncomfortable. So even after all of the day being full of fighting and running, she only was able to get an hour of sleep in the last two days. Bucky could see the exhaustion in her eyes, they were bloodshot, and the usual spark in her light chestnut eyes was nothing but a dull shine. After a while of walking, Elizabeth finally spotted a motel that they could stay in, at least until they managed to get jobs. She had full access to unlimited work visa time in every country because of her SHIELD access, but Bucky was another story. He'd have to use his fake ID to get a work visa before he could start working. Elizabeth handed the man at the front desk the remainder of her cash, becoming so lethargic that her vision slowly blurred in and out.

"How many beds?"

"Two, please." Bucky answered, holding Elizabeth up as she slipped in and out of consciousness.

"Alright. Here's your two keys, enjoy your stay." Bucky nodded, grabbing the keys with one hand and pulling Elizabeth's arm over his neck, half-carrying her up the stairs. Normally, she would've felt bad having someone else carry her up a one-story staircase, but she knew that he was a super soldier, and that he could most likely handle it. James unlocked the door and put Elizabeth on one of the beds, watching as her body slumped into the cheap mattress almost immediately as she fell asleep. Bucky took his shoes off, unaccustomed to the day-to-day life he was most likely going to live from then on. He noticed a package on the counter addressed to Elizabeth. It was quite big, so Bucky decided to snoop.

The letter read: _'Dear Elizabeth. It's Steve. Thanks to Tony's money, I got to deliver this the day that you left. Here are some clothes, and your phone. Tony helped me remove the tracker, and there's some men's clothes in there that Tony packed, just in case you 'get lucky'. Anyway, enjoy your time away, there's a debit card in there with probably a crazy amount of money on it, because Tony gave it to me. Natasha and Maria helped with the clothes, and Bruce even pitched in and got some medical equipment, you were pretty beaten up after this morning. Nat also put some weapons in there, she claims it's for self defense. Stephen threw in a good word for you at virtually every hospital (trust me, it took a long time), and there's some tear stains on this paper, Marilyn is hovering over my shoulder. She misses you, and hopes you tell her where you are so she can move over to you. Anyway, there should be everything you need in here for now, including enough money to rent out an apartment. Good luck, -Steve.'_ Bucky placed down the note and closed the box back up, laying onto the bed and attempting to enjoy being free for once. He looked over at Elizabeth. Bucky only hoped that he could get a job, he knew that Elizabeth most likely had a chance, as Steve had written in the letter, she had a background in something. Steve. His mind swirled. Somehow, he had remember a few bits and pieces of Steve, but really only when he said "I'm with you till the end of the line." It must've been important to their friendship somehow. James let his eyes shut, turning around to face the window as he attempted to fall asleep.

**♦♢♦**

Elizabeth woke up slowly, finally being able to see the hotel room without it being blurry. She gazed over to the asleep James, a smile on her face as she hoped he slept peacefully. It was early in the day, she knew that, because they had gone to sleep quite earlier than normal, but it had been a long day. She sat up, finding the box on the counter and opening it. She smiled as she read the note, missing her friends dearly. Elizabeth grabbed everything out of the box, including a laptop that was already set up, thanks to Pepper. She opened it up and immediately started to look for rental apartments to stay in. She thanked Tony mentally for the money, she didn't know where she'd be without the money from him and Stark Industries. Elizabeth found an apartment ready to move in by next week, and put an offer in, one that wasn't too expensive, but wouldn't be topped. She also looked for a hospital nearby, and luckily one was hiring, so she quickly applied for an interview before shutting the laptop down, leaving it unplugged on the bed. James continued sleeping, not even waking up as Elizabeth took the wallet from the box and left the hotel room, closing the door lightly, letting Bucky sleep in for once in his life and relax. She left the hotel, looking around the city of Bucharest for any sign of a clothing shop or a breakfast place. After around thirty minutes of walking, Elizabeth came across a clothing store and a breakfast place she could get take-out from. She stepped into the small clothing shop, looking around for a few things that'd fit her and Bucky. Her hands were full after around ten minutes, so she went to the front desk and took out some of the cash that Tony had given her.

"That'll be two hundred, please." Elizabeth put down her cash, the woman at the register putting it in and handing her three bags full of the clothes. "Have a good day!" Elizabeth nodded and thanked her before leaving the store, her stomach rumbling with hunger. As she walked to the breakfast place, she realized that the last thing she had eaten was a quick breakfast that Sam had offered her the day before. She walked into the restaurant and immediately basked in the warmth of the small café, stomach rumbling again as the smell of breakfast filled her lungs.

"Hi! What can I get for you?" The man at the bar asked, opening up the cash register as Elizabeth took out her cash.

"I'll take two English breakfasts, two waters, one black coffee and another one with two sugars and two cremes." He nodded, taking her money and giving her the change. He turned around and left to the kitchen with a notepad, with which he had written down her order. He came back with a smile.

"It'll be ready in twenty minutes, we just need to put it into a box after. You can wait over there for now." He said, pointing to the side of the bar with chairs surrounding it. Elizabeth sat down, pulling out the phone that Steve had given her and logging into all her credentials, making sure everything was set up before going to her synced contacts.

She clicked 'Marilyn' first. "Hey! Mari!"

_'ARE YOU OKAY?! YOU HAD ME WORRIED SICK?! FIRST, YOU LEAVE TOWN WITH NO NOTICE TO ME, AND THEN STEVE CALLS AND SAYS YOU'VE MOST LIKELY MOVED OUT OF THE COUNTRY?! ELIZABETH WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON?!' Elizabeth sighed, pulling the phone away from her ear as Marilyn yelled._

"Look;" Elizabeth began, dropping her voice down to a whisper. "After the fight, the Winter Soldier dragged Steve out of the lake that we both fell in. I was dying, and it wasn't the first time James had approached me, malfunctioning against HYDRA, if you will." She heard Marilyn begin to question, but cut her off, feeling a little bad about it but going on anyway. "He agreed to help me if I helped him cut ties completely against HYDRA. So, he fixed me up, and we left for Romania. You can't tell anyone we're here, and you can't come after us. I'm sure that after it's safe for James to go back to New York, we will." Marilyn stayed silent, most likely processing her friends decision.

_'Okay. Just, call Stephen. He's having relationship problems with Christine, especially now that they work together at the same hospital.'_

"I will. Thanks for understanding, Mari."

_'Anytime. Promise you'll call?'_

"Promise. Bye."

 _'Bye!'_ Elizabeth took her phone off of her ear and pressed the 'end call' button, sighing as the impact of everything sunk in. She was in Romania, with an ex-evil assassin, and nobody but her best friend knew where she was. Elizabeth sighed, dialing Stephen's number and pressing it against her cheek, waiting for a pickup noise.

_'This is Doctor Stephen Strange, how can I help you?'_

"Hey, Steph."

_'Liza? What happened? Steve told us about the situation, but I need to know if you're okay."_

"I had to get out of the country. All of HYDRA's information was leaked, including mine. I hope you're doing okay at your new hospital."

He sighed. _'It's going well. Christine is just not really used to seeing me all the time, work and home.'_

"I understand that." She saw her meal being carried out from the kitchen and plopped into boxes in front of her. She smiled at the server as he disappeared back into where the chefs were. "Hey, I have to go, my food is here. I'll talk to you later."

 _'I'll see you around, Doctor Walters.'_ As static sounded from the other end of the line, Elizabeth got up from her seated position, putting her phone in her pocket and grabbing the two breakfasts and coffees. It was a lot to hold, but the cup holder made it easier, it balanced on top of one of the boxes on one of her hands, and the other box was on her other hand. Elizabeth breathed in and out, not knowing how hungry Bucky would be after seventy years of probably not being fed that well. She sighed as she attempted to push the door open, but failed. A man came up to her, that eerily looked like Bucky, and opened the door for her.

"Thank you." Elizabeth spoke, gratitude laced in her voice.

"No problem. I'm Sebastian."

"Elizabeth. It was nice to meet you!"

"You too!" As she walked out, she only then realized the man had an American accent, just like her own. She shook her head, changing her thoughts as she walked through Bucharest. She enjoyed the solitude of not having the worries of SHIELD and HYDRA watching her every move. Maybe life in Romania with an ex-assassin as a roommate wouldn't be so bad after all.


	14. CHAPTER THIRTEEN

(2014)

Elizabeth walked through the door of the small hotel, meeting Bucky with a soft smile on her face. She shut the door with her foot and placed the food, water and coffee on the counter. She unpacked the two breakfasts, putting them onto the complimentary plates that the hotel had provided.

"Here." Elizabeth said, giving Bucky one of the plates full of food, a coffee and a water. "I didn't know if you liked coffee or not, it's got no sugar or cream, so I got you a water too." Bucky smiled, thankful for the stranger's hospitality. He had never really eaten anything like what he was given. Eggs, bacon, toast, tomatoes, beans, sausages... it looked delicious. He sat down at the small circular dining table across from Elizabeth. They ate in a nice silence, enjoying each other's company. He tried the coffee, and it honestly wasn't as bad as he had thought. As it went down his throat, he clutched his head, remembering something from his old life. Steve was there, but a smaller, less-muscular version. He held a cup of coffee in his hand, and so did Bucky. His was black, while Steve's was more of a milk chocolate colour.

"I don't know Buck... I'm not sure if I like coffee that much..."

"Just try it. I put a bunch of sugar and cream in so that it wouldn't be too harsh." James said. He wore a tan trench coat and a very classy outfit. His hair was combed and gelled, and he looked like he had just come out of the nineteen-forties. Well, he did. Steve gave Bucky a skeptical look before sipping on the coffee, immediately spitting it out, disgust plastering across his face.

"Okay, so no to the coffee?" Steve gave James a death glare, only to hear a laugh and slap on the back in return. With that, James came back to the present time, clutching his head. He dropped his fork onto his plate, Elizabeth's head shooting up at the man across her.

"Hey, James are you okay?" He didn't respond, only groaning lightly as he clutched his head harder. Elizabeth stepped out of her chair, grabbing some Advil from her package. She grabbed two pills and a glass of water, giving it to Bucky and rubbing his back. "Take these, hopefully it'll help a bit."

He nodded, swallowing the pills and smiling. "Thanks." And with that one word, Elizabeth smiled back. She saw something different in him. Not the Winter Soldier, not James, but Bucky. The man who had thrown himself into the war and saved his best friend whenever he could. She saw the glimmer in his eyes, and she remembered the James Barnes that her mother had told her the story about. Elizabeth saw him in a different light. Not the man after he had been taken captive with HYDRA, but the man who was recovering.

Elizabeth smiled, seeing Bucky eat the large breakfast quickly. "I read that plums are good for improving memory. Maybe we could go out to the market they have in the city square." She suggested, wanting to help him out a bit, after everything he had been through. As Bucky nodded, more memories began to surface, ones about eating breakfast with Steve and his late mother, Sarah, he recalled. Before he knew it, some of his memories had returned, and he finished his breakfast.

"I'll take that. I have an interview in a few days, and we have an apartment contract signing in a week, just to let you know."

Bucky nodded. "Thank you." He said, a sense of his old, charming personality coming back to him. "For everything. If you hadn't been there on the shore, I'd probably just be buying plums by myself." He chuckled. Elizabeth just gazed at him, happy that he was gaining pieces of himself, bit by bit. He was still plagued by the PTSD of HYDRA and falling off of the train, but something in her stomach said that everything would be okay. Honestly, that was a feeling she hadn't had since university. The feeling of knowing someone so well without even really knowing them. Elizabeth wanted to know everything about Bucky's old life, she wanted to see his face light up as he talked about Steve, and the way his lips turned up when he remembered something.

"Wait... your memories are being triggered by objects, right?" Bucky nodded, confused as to what the doctor was hinting to. "Maybe going out and getting some fresh air could help. You can also have the chance to see if you'd like to do anything for work specifically."

"That sounds really fun. I just- don't want to go too far, I don't want it to get overwhelming." James explained, still scared of the horrible headache he had gotten before. Elizabeth smiled in understanding, she frowned, remembering how the only memory of her life before HYDRA was her as a baby, with James... James! She immediately gasped, stepping back, the words on the soldier's torso, James was the one who had taken her as a child. Elizabeth regained her composure, her breath evening out. Her brain immediately thought to blame Bucky, knowing he was the one who had ripped her from her mother. But then she began to think rationally, he was simply told to do it, with no knowledge of who or what a child would even know, what kind of attachment they had to their parents.

She sighed. "Y-you... Around twenty-five years ago... I was taken from my home to go to HYDRA... I, I think that was you, who took me." A few moments of silence passed, Elizabeth watching as Bucky's face turned from confusion, to guilt, to a mix of both.

"I wish I could remember... Maybe if I saw a baby or something but- I'm so sorry." His head drooped down, hand clenching his forehead. Elizabeth sat down to his level again, trying to look under his long, dangling hair to meet his face eye-to-eye.

"Don't be sorry. Honestly, it's not your fault. It's HYDRA's fault." Elizabeth said, smiling softly. She pressed a finger against his surprisingly strong chest, watching as his head turned up to meet hers. "You're not HYDRA, HYDRA is not you. You're a person. You're not an evil person, you were brainwashed. Nothing that you did is your fault, and never forget that." Bucky nodded, smiling at the girl in front of him. "You are not the Winter Soldier. Your name is James Buchanan Barnes. Now let's get some plums, Buck." Elizabeth patted him on the shoulder before getting up, looking at the clothing items in the box.

"What kind of clothes are there?"

"Well, I got some for you and me, but there's some for me in the box." Elizabeth answered, using a pair of scissors and cutting off the tags before handing him the clothes that she had bought him. "Here, take these and go take a shower, no offense, but you kind of stink. And don't use up all the hot water!" She yelled, watching as Bucky walked into the bathroom and shut the door, hearing the rushing of water coming from the room. Elizabeth sighed, grabbing the rest of the clothes out of her shopping bag and folding them out onto her bed, looking at them all and cutting the tags off of the new one. It was relatively cold out, so she picked out a white t-shirt and a light tan trench coat, with a pair of black jeans to go with it. She thanked Pepper mentally for the pair of nice ankle boots, and she also put them with the rest of the clothes. Finally, after finishing folding the rest of the clothes and putting them back into the box, Bucky left the bathroom, hair wet and in a ponytail with a black baseball cap, a dark blue jumper and black jeans.

"Here;" Elizabeth said, giving Bucky a pair of gloves she had bought. "I don't agree with hiding the metal arm, but if you don't feel comfortable, you can wear them."

"Thank you." James nodded, pulling them on. Elizabeth smiled before walking into the bathroom herself, running the water. She stood under the warm stream for a while, letting her muscles relax. It had been a quite chaotic past few days, and she deserved a bit of a break. She trusted Marilyn to take care of her garden while she was away, but she wasn't ready to worry about her place back in the States just yet. She quickly shampooed her hair and washed her body, shaving her legs and arms before conditioning her hair and exiting the shower, making a little smiley face out of the steam on the mirror. Elizabeth got dressed, putting on her shoes and opening the door, drying her hair with one of the towels as she met Bucky's eyes.

"Ready to go?" He asked, Elizabeth nodding in return. She shoved a black beanie onto her head and left behind Bucky, breathing in the cold, sharp air with welcome. They began walking to the center square in a comfortable silence, enjoying the view of Bucharest.

"Y'know, I met someone who looked a lot like you yesterday!" Elizabeth spoke, trying to strike up a conversation with Bucky. "He said his name was Sebastian, which is a big coincidence, because when I was getting clothes a few years ago after The Battle of New York, and the shop cleric told me to look out for her son in Romania, who's name was Sebastian! And that's partly the reason why I decided to take you to Romania, it was really the only place I could think of on the spot." Bucky just looked at her while she talked, and took in every word, wanting to get to know the woman who had taken him in with open arms. "What do you think you'd like to do? I mean- there's no pressure to get a job, we have enough money from Tony and I'm getting a job. It's just- you never really got the chance at a normal, adult life. So if you're interested, we can look around for some options!"

Bucky smiled, thankful for the woman next to him. "I'd love to." Elizabeth smiled and continued looking around, a little more eagerly now. "So what kind of options are there?"

"Well, when we get the apartment we can find you a hobby, maybe baking, or pottery, or working out. If you do something like pottery or baking, we can buy a stand at the town market and sell some stuff. Or, you could get into something like sales, and maybe sit in on some classes online to learn some things... If you like animals we can find a shelter for you to volunteer at... The possibilities are endless!" Bucky softly laughed, seeing how excited Elizabeth was, speaking about different things.

"It all sounds great, but I want to make money somehow, I don't want to feel useless."

Elizabeth gave the long-haired man a glare. "No matter what, you won't be useless. Even if you don't make any money, you will be keeping me company, and that is something that a non-useless person would do." Bucky smiled, watching her rush to the market and look at all the produce. He caught up to her, the two standing beside each other again. "I'll buy you a laptop, a pottery table and maybe a set of baking ingredients while we shop for stuff for the apartment." She smiled, grabbing a few plums. Her Romanian was a little rusty, but she remembered the SHIELD training that she was given, she knew basic phrases in most languages, Romanian included.

"Cât costă cinci?" _How much for five?_ Elizabeth asked, holding up a few plums and placing them into one of the paper bags they had given.

"Zece leu." _Ten Leu._ The man responded, smiling as the doctor handed him a few Romanian Leu. "Vino din nou în curând!" _Come again soon!_ He yelled, watching as Elizabeth waved behind her kindly. They both returned to the sidewalk, Elizabeth now holding a paper bag full of plums.

"Now, how about that job?"


	15. CHAPTER FOURTEEN

(2014)

A week later, the dynamic duo held their last boxes in hand, content with their apartment. Three bedrooms, two bathrooms, but still quite small. Elizabeth's job interview had gone swimmingly, and her first day at work was the following Monday, which meant she and Bucky had two days to unpack before she had to get to the hospital every morning. Keeping to her word, Elizabeth bought James some supplies to help him see what he'd like to do, she even went a little further and bought him a standard beginners engineering kit from one of the local universities. She had gotten a tip from Steve that he loved the Stark Expo back before he was shipped off to England, so she decided to buy him a few mechanical things that he could tinker with, just in case. She also bought him a pottery kit, a few books on different and more boring jobs, a bunch of baking supplies, and a laptop, just as she promised. They placed down the last of their boxes and gazed at the apartment full of boxes.

"Oh! I almost forgot!" Elizabeth exclaimed, pulling out one of the boxes from the stack. "I bought you a few things... I also stopped by the Smithsonian on the way back while you were asleep in the car, I bought some stuff from the gift shop there, as well." Bucky smiled gratefully, grabbing the box and placing it on the kitchen counter. Over the last week his memory had improved substantially, and he was happy with his progress, the plums must've really helped. He opened the box with a pair of scissors and looked at the contents. There was everything that Elizabeth had bought him. Besides the pottery set, there was a laptop, a few books, baking stuff, and some gifts from the Smithsonian. One was a plushie of Captain America, and the same but with all of the Howling Commandos, a big book on everything about them, and a book on James Buchanan Barnes.

"Thank you... so much." He said, turning back to Elizabeth.

"It's no problem, I thought it might help you." She said, grabbing a box and opening it. "Plus, you need some sort of way to pass the time. Since we don't need the third bedroom, I'll turn it into a hobby room. You can figure out what you like to do, and I'll paint!" Elizabeth enthused, pulling out a bunch of kitchenware. She placed it into the cupboards, making sure that things were placed nicely before moving onto another box. Bucky and Elizabeth worked on unpacking for a few hours, laughing about post-frozen Steve stories that Elizabeth told, and a few memories that Bucky remembered and told. After around half of the boxes were unpacked, the two sat down on the couch, utterly exhausted. They'd get back to unpacking in a bit, but at that moment, they needed a rest.

"Do you want a beer? I got a six pack from the store!" Elizabeth asked, looking at Bucky. Their TV wasn't set up with cable yet, but Elizabeth bought a run-of-the-mill CD player and hooked it up. Thankfully, it came with a DVD book, with a bunch of old and new movies to watch through. She sat back down, opening the beers up and giving one to Bucky. He took a cautious sip, watching as the doctor placed a movie into the player, turning on the TV.

"Sleeping Beauty?"

"Yeah!" Elizabeth exclaimed, it was her favourite Disney movie of all time, besides Tangled. "Did you watch Snow White when it came out?"

Bucky nodded. "Yeah, I think. I can't really remember it all that well, but I remember going with Steve... I think his mom dragged us to go." Elizabeth and James both laughed. After the week they had spent together, no matter how much he remembered, Elizabeth felt like she knew the man sitting beside her. She repositioned herself to sit across from Bucky, folding her legs into a pretzel.

"So Disney, the company that animated Snow White, became super famous and wealthy. They became one of the biggest movie companies of all time. And Snow White was the first official 'Disney Princess', and more were made after that. They're childish sometimes, but the classics are great." Bucky smiled at Elizabeth's enthusiasm for the movies, before she turned back to the TV, watching as Tinkerbell moved across the screen to introduce the advertisements.

"Who's that?" James asked, genuinely curious.

Elizabeth smiled, turning her head to the metal-armed man. "Tinkerbell. She's not a Disney Princess, but she's a fairy, and she's super popular in Disney." The two turned back to the screen, sipping on their beers. Bucky was still unsure about the drink, but he was certain once he had remembered his past life more, he'd know what his past self liked or disliked about it.

_"In a far away land, long ago, lived a king and his fair queen..."_

**♦♢♦**

_"-Once upon a dream"_ One hour later, Bucky was staring at the screen, questions lingering in his head. He turned his head towards Elizabeth, seeing tears streaming down her face as she finished her second beer. She sat up straight, grabbing the three empty bottles and putting them on the kitchen counter.

James followed her, sitting on the barstool. "Hey, what made you so sad?" Something in Bucky just rolled off the tongue, and that surprised him, along with Elizabeth. She smirked, turning around and leaning her forearms against the small island he was sitting on.

"Well, aren't you oh-so charming?" She asked, wiping her stray tears. "Eh, it's nothing. I just- I used to watch that movie all the time, Natasha would steal copies from the trainer's kids. I still cry as soon as they sing 'Once Upon A Dream'. Once Nick Fury gave me my first phone, that was the first song I ever downloaded onto it." A few moments of peaceful silence overruled the apartment, the two both gazing at the rest of the bedroom boxes. "We should finish up. I want to sleep in a bed tonight." Bucky laughed and they both finished unpacking in their own rooms. Elizabeth listened to some classical French romance songs, while Bucky used his new laptop to look for some music. It was challenging, but he figured it out faster than he expected. He decided to just put on a shuffle of whatever 'His Mix' meant on 'YouTube'. It started off with some songs that he remembered from the past, memories crawling back, a little less painful than the last time, and he enjoyed unpacking and listening to old classics. The two finished their bedrooms at around five, Elizabeth's was minimalistically decorated, with just a few plants and a desk with her laptop. Bucky's room was much more simple, his dresser held his laptop and his bed had no extra pillows, but there was a small orchid that Elizabeth had given him the day before when they were shopping, she said it was 'a symbol of healing'. Honestly, it meant a lot to him, knowing that someone cared for him before and after his healing process was heartwarming, and he relished in the feeling he most likely hadn't had since the days before he fell off the train.

"Hey... You okay?" Elizabeth asked, standing in the doorway. Bucky turned around, sitting on his bed and looking at her. She had a look of concern across her face, sitting beside him on the bed. "You seemed lost in thought, Buck. If you don't want to tell me that's fine... but you have great taste in music!" She exclaimed, getting up and turning up the laptop music. It was La Vie En Rose, a classic. "Take my hand, I'm sure you remember something of old dancing." She laughed, grabbing James' hands and pulling him up off of the bed.

"I- I think I remember..." Bucky smirked, dipping Elizabeth down. She laughed loudly, getting yanked up again and pulled into an old-school slow dance. They began to laugh loudly, louder than Bucky could've ever remembered laughing for the entirety of his life. He remembered snippets of dancing with different women back before he was kidnapped, but somehow, all he could focus on was his dance with Elizabeth. He lifted her up above eye-level by her torso, them both laughing harder as he let her down, both catching their breath as the song ended.

"That was, probably the best thing I've done since nineteen forty-two." James looked down, fingers still intertwined with Elizabeth's. "Thank you. Honestly, when I saw Steve on that bridge... The last thing I remember thinking before going back under was knowing that I'd never get a normal life again, not after HYDRA."

Elizabeth looked at him in sympathy, sitting down on the bed and patting the spot beside her, watching as he sat down. "Look, Natasha graduated before me, meaning that I never got the chance to get sterilized. I escaped the day before I was set to have that happen. The only reason why I followed Natasha towards the SHIELD agents that day was because, up until then, I thought that I'd never get the chance to be happy. I always wanted kids, and taking care of people of all ages is just in my nature." Elizabeth looked up from her lap and into Bucky's eyes. "I think that's one of the reasons why I wanted to follow you on the beach. Although, I was dying and you were really my only hope." James laughed, a full, hearty laugh.

"I know how you feel. I feel like I know you so well."

"Maybe we've met each other in a past life" Elizabeth chuckled, gazing at James's long hair. She'd have to ask him if she could cut it later.

"Can I kiss you?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Consent, guys, consent ;)


	16. CHAPTER FIFTEEN

(2014)

"Can I kiss you?" James asked, his eyes twinkling against the dim lighting in the room. Suddenly, the air became thick, Elizabeth's stomach swirling with tension. Slowly, she nodded, and their lips joined. It was cheesy, but they both swore that sparks flew. James' hands flew to her hips, enjoying every last moment. Memories flew in and out of his head slowly and it caused a slight headache, but it didn't even come close to the amount of euphoria he felt. The two pulled apart for air, gasping lightly.

"I guess you remember more than just some memories, huh?" The two chuckled, still trying to comprehend what had just happened.

Bucky smiled, looking Elizabeth in the eyes again. "I've still got some charm." They stayed in a comfortable silence, just being with each other was comforting. Butterflies swarmed in both of their stomachs, and they felt at ease. Like as if a wall had been broken between the two.

"I'll order something to deliver to the apartment. In the meantime, you can start setting up some stuff in the spare room if you'd like." Elizabeth offered, getting up as Bucky nodded in response. The doctor left the room, grabbing her phone and calling one of the pizza places downtown. James went into the third bedroom, opening up boxes and attempting to set up the pottery kit. After a few tries, he finally found the instruction manual and got to work, finishing it just as the buzzer went off. He got up, tying his hair back and walking into the living room. Elizabeth set out the pizza on the table and grabbed two extra plates for the both of them.

"I just got a cheese pizza, I don't know what kind you like."

"Thank you." The two sat down, grabbing at the food and eating it like two starved animals. As James finished his first slice, he spoke up. "So, umm- you said you like to paint?" Elizabeth laughed, drinking down some water as she finished her slice of pizza.

"Yeah. I kind of picked it up after I graduated from SHIELD. Helped with a lot of the mental issues that came with PTSD." Elizabeth answered, taking another bite. "What about you? Any ideas of what you'd like to do?"

Bucky gulped down some beer. "Steve used to be really into art, he graduated art school, actually." Elizabeth smiled, pressing her palm against her chin in curiosity. "I was really more into, well, I think I was more into sciency stuff, but I never really got to do anything about that, I was too busy living the good life before I was drafted." Bucky paused, suddenly becoming interested in his feet. "At least, that's what I can remember."

"Well, from all the books I've read, you were quite the ladies man."

James laughed. "I can remember that for certain." The two of them finished off their second slices, grabbing their thirds. "Another question; do guys still take girls out on dates?" Elizabeth spit out her water, almost choking as she chuckled.

"Yes, modern times aren't that different." She snorted, putting her pizza down on her plate. "Why do you ask?"

"I think a part of me likes you." Elizabeth rolled her eyes, shaking her head.

"No offence, Buck, but you're the last person to know anything about modern dates, let alone dates in Romania." She paused, tapping her finger against her chin. "Let me plan the date, but you can pretend you were all suave and stuff and took me, okay? We wouldn't want to hurt your little nineteen-forties fragile masculinity now would we?"

James shook his head. "That sounds fun."

"Does tomorrow night sound okay? It's my last free night before I'm on-call." Bucky nodded, taking his plate up and washing it. Elizabeth came up beside him, doing the same and loading the two plates and glasses into the racks. Bucky put the pizza box into the recycling while Elizabeth wrapped up the leftovers in saran wrap and placed them into the fridge. The two turned to each other, satisfied with their work at cleaning up.

"Okay, you need to go get some sleep." She announced, poking at Bucky's chest. He tried to hold in a smile as she talked. "I have a date to plan, so go, shoo! Go to sleep!" The doctor pushed Bucky into his room. "If you need anything tell me! Goodnight!"

"Goodnight." Elizabeth smiled as she closed the door and scurried off into her room, not before locking up the apartment and making sure all the lights were turned off. She opened up her laptop and changed into a comfortable white tank top and shorts, pulling herself under the covers as she looked for places in Bucharest to have a first date. Honestly, the feeling of going on a date with James Buchanan Barnes was so surreal to Elizabeth, so she was completely calm during the last few days, because she always thought she would wake up as soon as something happened. After a few moments of web surfing, she finally found a bar a few blocks away from their apartment building. It was perfect. Every Sunday they had a retro night, and after she looked into it, luck would have it, it was twenties to forties night! It was perfect, so she quickly looked for a second hand store near her, she planned to look for a forties-styled outfit for both Bucky and her, so they could really look the part. Elizabeth put her laptop back onto her desk and switched off the lights, curling back into her bed and falling into a dreamless sleep.

**♦♢♦**

Screaming from the room beside her woke Elizabeth up, and she groggily turned on the light, using her phone flashlight to light the way through the hallway. She knocked on Bucky's door, once, twice, then let herself in. James was tossing and turning in the bed, mumbling words that weren't English, and yelling every few seconds. Elizabeth approached the bed carefully, leaning down to his eye level and shushing him, grabbing his shoulders lightly to stop him from moving and using her hand to tug his hair out of his ponytail, roughing it up a little. His breathing slowed down, going back to a normal pace as his eyes shot open, sitting up. He locked eyes with Elizabeth, who then sat cross-legged in front of him on his bed.

"Do you want to talk about it?" James softly shook his head, his brown hair whipping against his jaw as he did so. Elizabeth nodded, looking into Bucky's very blue eyes. "Here." Bucky stiffened up as the woman pulled him into a hug, letting her rest her chin onto his hair. They stayed like that for a few minutes, until Bucky spoke up from against her shoulder.

"Along with the good memories, some-some bad, bad memories came to light... I guess I can't escape my past, huh?" His voice was muffled from Elizabeth's shirt, but she could still hear him.

"Of course you can." She said, continuing to stroke his hair. "You just gotta learn to forgive yourself. None of that was your fault, and you couldn't have changed anything even if you tried. Fate has a way with things." She continued, feeling his breathing becoming deeper. "Think about it this way. Even though what happened to you was horrible and I wish that had never happened to you... if it didn't, you wouldn't be here right now." Elizabeth felt him smile against her shoulder, both basking in silence.

"Thank you." Bucky broke, Elizabeth's arm becoming soaked with tears.

"Don't thank me, its basic human decency. Plus, I don't think getting noise complaints on our first day in the apartment would be great." Bucky laughed and they sat in silence until Elizabeth felt Bucky go limp against her with exhaustion, falling asleep instantly. She smiled and set him down, pulling the covers over his shoulders and crawling beside him, above the blankets. She stayed looking at him for around half an hour, making sure he was okay before she slowly slipped into her own sleep.

**♦♢♦**

Elizabeth woke up before Bucky, standing up and being careful not to wake him as she left the room. She quickly got changed into a thick turtleneck and some baggy black pants, lacing up her boots before grabbing her bag and leaving a note on the counter of the kitchen. 'Buck, going out to get some breakfast and stuff for the date tonight. There's some leftover pizza in the fridge and some bits and bobs I got yesterday, if you get too hungry waiting you can snack a bit if you want. Love, Liz' And with that, Elizabeth walked out the apartment door, locking it behind her and leaving the building, appreciating the cold, crisp air as she walked down the sidewalk. She walked to the second hand store, embracing the warm atmosphere. Bookshelves were littered across every wall, and it felt small, but so cozy. A fireplace was lit on the side of the room, and small hangers full of clothes layered the room. Elizabeth looked for some retro clothes, finding an a-line dress and an old military uniform and grabbing the two in her arms, wandering around for a few more minutes before finally finding the front cashier desk.

"Ah, lovely choices." The old woman spoke, looking at the price tags and putting the information into her computer. "What's the occasion?"

"First date." She nodded, handing the cashier a few dollar bills before taking her clothes again.

"Good luck on your date, darling!"

"Oh thank you!" Elizabeth smiled and left the store, heading over to one of the twenty-four hour fast food restaurants and placing a small breakfast order for her and Bucky. It didn't take long, there weren't that many people in the place that early in the morning, anyway. She grabbed her two breakfast muffins and coffees and left, walking back to the apartment building. Elizabeth looked at the outfits and smiled giddily as she walked, it had been forever since she had gone on a first date, and she would be lying if she said she wasn't over the moon. She reminisced on her past relationship, and was happy about how it ended, and remembered the first date then. She could only hope that it would end up being forever with Bucky, because she really cared for him. As she came up to the apartment building, she shook her head, ridding her thoughts as she entered the shared space between her and James.


	17. CHAPTER SIXTEEN

(2014)

The rest of the day had gone by faster than Elizabeth had expected, and by six, she sat in her dress in front of the bathroom vanity, finishing her makeup. Elizabeth was trying to hype herself up, ignoring the sinking feeling in her stomach. She did one last look down and sighed, slipping on her shoes. Bucky wasn't in the apartment, he had insisted on picking her up to be a 'true gentleman', so Elizabeth sat down and put her feet up, listening to some soft music as she tried to calm down. Nerves took over, and she began thinking of everything that could go wrong. A few minutes passed with Elizabeth stuck in her thoughts, but they suddenly disappeared as she could hear three knocks come from the apartment door. She got up, brushing her dress off and walking to the door, taking in a deep breath before opening it, revealing Bucky. His hair was slicked back and cut, which surprised Elizabeth. He wore the military uniform that she had given him, and he held a bouquet of roses in his hands. They stood in silence for a few moments, Bucky staring at Elizabeth.

"Hello? Earth to Bucky?"

James shook his head. "Sorry... you just look gorgeous." A blush broke out onto Elizabeth's face. She had been called hot, pretty, and cute, but never gorgeous. She smiled at him, not letting her nervousness take over and forcing her head to stay up and remain eye-contact with the man.

"Well thank you. I could say the same thing about you." He smiled and Elizabeth took the roses, grabbing an empty pint glass and filling it with water, putting the flowers into it. She made a mental note to cut the stems later so they'd last longer. "Mr. Barnes, shall we go?"

Bucky smiled, holding out his arm. "We shall." As they walked down the street, the air oddly warm for the time of night, Bucky felt himself become more confident. They indulged in the silence, Elizabeth leading ahead ever so slightly, as James still didn't know where they were going.

"So... may I ask where we are going?"

Elizabeth shook her head. "Not until we get there. Don't worry, we're only a block away." The two enjoyed the nice stroll, the air getting a little chillier as they approached the diner. Elizabeth spotted it before Bucky, immediately hearing the jukebox-esque music and the bright lights. The couple stood in front of the glass doors, Elizabeth eagerly awaiting Bucky's response.

"It's... a thirties styled bar?" Bucky asked, his eyes twinkling against the lights.

"It gets better. It serves food, and they have dancing!" Elizabeth yelled, grabbing James' hand. "C'mon!" She dragged him into the bar, seeing everyone dressed up as if they lived in the thirties and dancing. The doctor pulled Bucky towards the bar, quickly ordering some food.

"Can I have a platter of the devilled eggs, one serving of the spiedes, two glasses of the French '75 and..." Elizabeth turned to Bucky. "What do you want?"

"I think the meatloaf looks good." The server nodded and bought out the tray, handing it to them. The two of them sat down at one of the booths, sipping on their drinks and snacking on their meals.

"So, what did people talk about during dates in the thirties?"

James laughed, thinking for a few seconds before answering. "Have you seen Casablanca?"

"Of course I have! It's a classic!" Elizabeth gasped. "I never got to see it in theatres! Did you?"

"I did!"

"Ah! You lucky duck! I would've killed to see it when it came out!" The two chatted for the rest of the meal, enjoying the nostalgic atmosphere and music. They finished off their drinks fast, not bothering to get another one, they didn't want to get drunk and forget their night together.

Bucky smiled as he remembered his old memories as swing music began to play. "May I have this dance?"

Elizabeth giggled. "You may, kind sir." They both got up, walking over to the small group of people and slowly dancing, getting in the groove to the song. Elizabeth laughed as Bucky spun her back and forth, dancing faster and finally matching the other dancer's pace, getting into it. A few songs passed, James and Elizabeth finding ways to make each other laugh, little jokes and cheesy pick-up lines. The music slowed and more calm songs played, the rest of the people in the bar walking up and joining the others. Elizabeth's face reddened as Bucky pulled her close, swaying back and forth. His chin rested on her hair and she nuzzled the side of her face into his neck, grasping his hand firmly with one of her hands, and resting her other on his shoulder, letting James' other hand rest in the small of her back.

"When did you manage to get your haircut?" Elizabeth mumbled, turning her head and peeling the top of her torso off of Bucky's and looking him in the eyes.

He chuckled, his chest rumbling against hers. "Earlier this morning. I wanted to be able to see you fully without the hair in my eyes." Elizabeth smiled, pushing her head against his chest in embarrassment. "Plus, I guess it comes with the whole 'fresh start' package." She hummed in agreement, making a mental note to get her hair changed up in the near future. They continued dancing until their feet hurt, James was content with all of the happy memories that were coming through his head, despite the slight headache he had. They watched as more and more people filtered out of the bar, leaving hand-in-hand with the partner they came with, or one they had met that night.

"The bar's gonna close soon... do you think we should head out?" James nodded, not entirely releasing Elizabeth's hand as they paid the bill at the bar. The two exited the place, immediately feeling the rush of cold air piercing at their skin and nipping at their noses. Elizabeth held her bag under her arm, walking alongside Bucky down the sidewalk of the deserted road. A few moments later, James noticed the woman's slight shivering, releasing his hand from her palm and shrugging off his blazer, placing it over Elizabeth's shoulders.

"Wow, I never knew James Buchanan Barnes could be that amount of cheesy." Bucky laughed, holding her hand again. As they passed the next two blocks, rain started pattering down on their heads. Bucky frowned, while Elizabeth grinned widely, letting her hair down from her high ponytail and beginning to dig through her bag. "Thankfully, while we were out buying stuff for the apartment... I bought a waterproof Bluetooth speaker!" She maxed the volume and placed her purse down on one of the benches, taking off her shoes and grasping Bucky's arm, pulling him onto the road. Confused at first, Bucky stood in the road, watching as Elizabeth twirled around, clutching his blazer close to her shoulders as she danced. After a few songs passed, James joined her, lifting her up above him then dipping her down. As their lips began to turn blue and their lashes grew heavier and heavier with raindrops, they slowed down, both exhausted from the full night of dancing.

"Let's go back, I feel like we're both tired." Elizabeth nodded, putting her purse under the blazer and pulling on her shoes. Before she could put them on, though, Bucky snatched them up. "Your feet are probably sore from being in these the whole night." He pressed one hand against her back and one under her knees, hoisting her up and letting her head nuzzle into his neck. After a few more blocks of walking, James spotted their apartment building and felt Elizabeth go limp with sleep in his arms. He smiled and walked up to their apartment, struggling with the lock for a bit before finally letting himself into the room. He laid her down on her bed, pulling the covers over her shoulders and smiling, walking out of the bedroom and shutting the door behind him. He shrugged off his military uniform and hung it up in his closet, getting dressed into a white tee and sweats, pulling himself into bed and trying to sleep. It didn't take long, all he needed to do was think of the day he had just had.


	18. CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

(2015)

A year had passed since Elizabeth and Bucky's magical first date, and they were doing amazing. Bucky had scored a job at one of the animal shelters downtown from their apartment, and Elizabeth was thriving as one of the top doctors at the local hospital. As she woke up with a cold spot next to her bed, Elizabeth stepped out of their shared room, wearing a white tank top, sweats and a horrible bedhead. She walked into the recreational room, seeing Bucky working hard on his pottery, back facing her with old music playing. She wrapped her arms around his shoulders, letting one of her hands stroke his hair, which rested just below his earlobe.

"Hey honey." Elizabeth greeted, rubbing his shoulders.

Bucky stopped the pottery table, resting his head back and looking the woman in the eyes. "Good morning, darlin'." He rubbed her hand, gazing at the beautiful ring that laid upon her finger. It had been around a month and a half ago, and they had taken a trip to Italy, and Bucky had given her a beautiful ring. It wasn't twenty-four carats, but it was gorgeous nonetheless, and the fact that James wanted to marry her meant more than anything money could buy to Elizabeth. That night was their wedding. Sadly, even though they had kept in contact, Steve, Sam and Natasha couldn't come, but Marilyn had already parked herself at the nearby hotel. They really had nobody else to come to the wedding, so they decided to elope by the seaside where Marilyn's hotel was.

"I'm gonna make some breakfast. Today's the big day!" Elizabeth exclaimed, kissing Bucky's cheek before exiting the room. James cleaned himself off, peeking in the room next to him. It was his old room, empty and half-painted. He sighed, smiling at how far they had come in the past year. He walked back into the kitchen, sitting at the bar and watching as Elizabeth put some slices of bread in the toaster, occasionally checking on the eggs in the pan.

"Buck. I need to tell you something, and you promise you can't freak out." James nodded, tilting his head slightly. "I took a pregnancy test this morning, my period has been late for a while. I'm pregnant." With happiness in his eyes, Bucky jumped into Elizabeth's arms, almost toppling her to the ground.

"I'm gonna be a dad." James' fiancée grinned, buttering the two slices of toast and placing an egg on each one. Handing one plate to Bucky and taking her own with a glass of orange juice. The two had planned out the situation that would happen if Steve ever came to their door in need of Bucky. They decided it would be best if James were to pretend he had never gained his memory back. Elizabeth and Bucky both knew that everyone on the team who didn't know Bucky would assume that he remembered all of the people he had killed whilst under the influence of HYDRA.

"Honey?" Elizabeth asked sweetly, taking up both of the empty plates. "What do you think about repainting and remodeling your old room into a nursery?"

"I think that'd be an amazing idea." He said, standing in front of his to-be wife and stroking her stomach fondly. With his past, he never thought he'd settle down. He remembered the old Bucky always thought he'd die in service of the military before getting married and having a child. Technically, he did, but now he got to spend all his time with Elizabeth, and that meant so much to him.

"Okay Buck, I need to go get to Marilyn's hotel and get ready. Don't wreck the house while I'm gone!" James nodded, kissing her cheek before Elizabeth walked out the door. She quickly hailed a cab down and got in, directing the driver towards the beach of Constanța. After two hours of driving, she paid the cab driver and approached the hotel, knocking on the room that Marilyn was staying in. Without a word, Elizabeth's wrist was gripped and pulled into the room, immediately pushing her down into a vanity.

"Your wedding is in three hours. I have three hours to do your makeup and hair and get you into your dress. Bucky will be driving down in one hour. Let's do this." Elizabeth turned her head to the side and looked at the beautiful beach view until Marilyn yanked her head back forwards, pinning up her hair into a nice updo.

"Ouch."

"Beauty is pain, Liz, beauty is pain."

"That doesn't mean you have to rip my hair out!" Marilyn merely laughed. After thirty long minutes of chatting and debating, Elizabeth's hair looked beautiful. Marilyn almost teared up. She placed one final fake flower in her flower crown and admired her work, grabbing out her huge toolbox and opening it, revealing millions of makeup products. And finally, after three hours of non-stop work, Elizabeth was standing in front of the room's full-length mirror, tears in her eyes. It wasn't the wedding she had dreamed of as a little girl, but somehow, it was even better. Marilyn ushered her into her rental car, sitting and driving while Elizabeth attempted to not get any of her dress caught in the seat or door.

"Mari?" Elizabeth asked, Marilyn nodding in response, eyes still on the road. "I'm pregnant."

Marilyn's eyes widened. "I'm gonna be an aunt!" She squealed, turning to Elizabeth at a red light and undoing her seatbelt, engulfing her best friend in a side hug. As the light turned green, they sped off to the beach. Elizabeth spotted the arch, pointing it out and seeing the reverend and James underneath it. They had picked it out beforehand, it was white and had dozens and dozens of flowers wrapped around it, matching the flowers littered across the sand and the ones that sat atop Elizabeth's head. Marilyn took a hold of the bride's veil, being careful of the both of them as they stepped down a very sketchy staircase before reaching the sand. Elizabeth took off her heels and smiled, locking eyes with Bucky. As she walked up towards him, he teared up. She approached him, standing across from the fragile man.

He leaned into her ear. "You look absolutely gorgeous."

"You don't clean up too bad yourself, Barnes." They separated, grasping their hands in the other's.

"Dearly Beloved," The priest began. "We are gathered here today in the presence of this witness to join in matrimony commended to be honorable among all; and therefore, is not to be entered too lightly but reverently, lovingly, passionately and solemnly. Into this-these two persons present now come to be joined. If there is any person who can show cause why they should not be joined together-let them speak now or forever hold their peace." They waited a few moments, smiling as James and Elizabeth gazed into each other's eyes. "James Buchanan Barnes, will you have this Woman to be your wedded wife, to live together in the estate of Matrimony? Will you love her, comfort her, honour, and keep her in sickness and in health; and keep only to her, so long as you both shall live?"

"I do."

"And do you, Elizabeth Walters, take this man to be your wedded husband, to live together in the estate of Matrimony? Will you love him, comfort him, honour, and keep him in sickness and in health; and keep only to him, so long as you both shall live?"

"I do."

They both released their hands, Marilyn giving them both the rings. The minister spoke again. "I, James, take thee Elizabeth to my wedded wife, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better for worse, for richer for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, until death parts us." He slipped the beautiful wedding band onto Elizabeth's finger, smiling wider than he had since HYDRA.

"I, Elizabeth, take thee James, to be my wedded husband, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better for worse, for richer for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, until death parts us." She slipped the ring onto her fiancé's finger, gripping his hands and letting more tears fall across her cheeks.

"I now pronounce you, James Buchanan Barnes, and you, Elizabeth Barnes, husband and wife. You may now kiss the bride." And they did. After their lips separated they engulfed each other in a tight hug, tears staining both of their wedding outfits. The minister left, leaving Marilyn, Bucky, and Elizabeth standing there.

"My flight leaves in four hours, and I think you two need to get to a hospital." They nodded, Elizabeth hugging her best friend tightly. "If everything goes haywire, you march your ass right back to New York. Okay?"

And that's what she did.


	19. CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

(2016)

On a warm summer's evening, Elizabeth and Bucky sat at a bar. Even though she was rearing up to nine months pregnant, it was for one of their friends in Romania, and they didn't want him to feel bad. Elizabeth had water whilst Bucky drank a beer, not wanting to get blackout drunk. As they talked, the television was turned up, and everyone became silent.

"Eleven Wakandans were among those killed during a confrontation between the Avengers and a group of mercenaries in Lagos, Nigeria, last month. The traditionally reclusive Wakandans were on an outreach mission in Lagos when the attack occurred." Elizabeth audibly gasped, clutching her stomach. Bucky immediately sat beside her at the booth, not staying across from her anymore.

"It's just a kick, Buck. I'm fine." She reassured, smiling through the pain of her stomach being used as a punching bag. 

They continued to focus on the television. "They are operating outside and above the international law. Because that's the reality, if we don't respond to acts like these. What legal authority does an enhanced individual like Wanda Maximoff have to operate in Nigeria? Should we now be worried for our safety because of the very people who swore to give Earth security? More on this at five." Elizabeth and Bucky got up as he finished his beer, walking to the car and driving back to the apartment. No music stations played, it was only news about Lagos. They finally arrived home in silence, both shaken up about the news. They walked into the nursery, Elizabeth cradling her large belly as they admired the soft yellow and white walls. 

"I can't believe my little angel is going to be born in a week." Elizabeth had gone for a visit to the doctors, and Marilyn happened to be visiting at the time, so she held a gender reveal party for the couple. A few friends that they had met in Romania came along, and it was a surprise to Bucky that he was going to be a father to a beautiful little girl.

Elizabeth sat down in the rocking chair, groaning as the baby kicked. "Wow, you're an excited little fella aren't ya?"

**♦♢♦**

"-at a special United Nations conference 117 countries have come together to ratify the Sokovia Accords. The Avengers have been asked to sign, but only Tony Stark, James Rhodes and Natasha Romanoff have agreed to sign. We're waiting for the conference to begin with King T'Chaka of Wakanda's speech." Elizabeth watched the television in determination. She knew Steve was in the right for the most part, but if she was up there, she would choose to sign the accords. It was for peace, and she wanted her daughter to grow up in a world where everyone was safe.

Bucky walked in the living room, watching in amusement as his wife placed a bowl of chips on her stomach. "I love you so much."

"I love you too, James." He kissed her nose and sat down next to her, turning up the television a couple of notches.

"King T'Chaka is now going to give his speech."

The king of Wakanda stepped up to the microphone. "When stolen Wakandan vibranium was used to make a terrible weapon, we in Wakanda were forced to question our legacy. Those men and women killed in Nigeria, were part of a goodwill mission from a country too long in the shadows. We will not, however, let misfortune drive us back. We will fight to improve the world we wish to join. I am grateful to the Avengers for supporting this initiative." Elizabeth winced, knowing that not all of the team was on board. "Wakanda is proud to extend its hand in peace." 

"Everybody, get down!" T'Challa's screams could be heard from the microphone as the Vienna building went up in an explosion. Elizabeth gasped, holding onto Bucky's hand tightly. The conference hall was destroyed, and the cameras quickly shut off, turning to the news back in Romania. Tears fell from Elizabeth's eyes, and she wept into Bucky's shoulder. He stroked her hair, letting her tears stain his shirt. The two could only hope that Natasha, T'Chaka and T'Challa were okay, let alone the other people at the conference.

"A bomb was found hidden in a news van shortly after the explosion. More than seventy people have been injured, at least twelve are dead, including Wakanda's King T'Chaka." Elizabeth whimpered, wiping the tears off of her cheeks and eyes. "Officials have released a video of a suspect who they have identified as James Buchanan Barnes, the Winter Soldier." Elizabeth's heart stopped, clinging to James' arm even tighter than before.

"No- no that's not true, we've been in Romania for two years. None of us have gone anywhere."

Bucky was still in shock. Whoever that was, it wasn't him. "Liz, you have to trust me when I say that that wasn't me." She nodded, knowing that they hadn't separated longer than eight hours since they left the States. "Come here." He engulfed his wife into a tight hug, both of them crying, one less than the other.

"We're coming to you live with any new updates. Remember. James Buchanan Barnes is out to shoot on site. If you see him, report him to the authorities immediately."

"Okay James, this is what we're going to do." Elizabeth said, trying to let her voice stay steady. "You need to go get some plums for yourself, just until the word gets out enough to come to Romania. Right now, you need to get some groceries, because if I'm gonna have to stay indoors, I need something to eat with this thing;" She gestured to her stomach. "Eating twice as much." Bucky nodded, pecking his wife on the lips before disappearing through the apartment door. Elizabeth sighed, using all of her strength to sit up and walk to the bedroom, brushing out her hair. She was almost through the back when a smash could be heard from the window. She opened the vanity, pulling the drawer fully out and digging through the secret compartment and pulling out a small handgun. Elizabeth loaded it before walking into the living room, pointing it at the large figure that was turned away from her.

"Who the hell are you and what are you doing in my apartment?"

The man turned around, revealing Steve. "Elizabeth?"

"Oh, thank god." They were engulfed in an awkward hug.

"So... when did this happen?" He asked, pointing at her stomach.

She laughed. "Bucky and I have been married for a year, this little thing is due in a week and a half."

"Have you heard?"

It went silent for a few moments. "Yes. Please, don't hurt him."

"Trust me, I'm trying to protect him from someone who wants to hurt him."

"Heads up, Cap." Sam spoke through his earpiece. "German Special Forces, approaching from the south." Elizabeth could hear it, she looked worriedly out the broken window.

"Understood." He turned to Elizabeth. "You need to get out of here."

"I'm not here to fight. I know you're on the right side. But for her;'' She pointed to her stomach. "I want her to grow up in a world of peace, and if I could, I would sign the Accords. I have to go with Tony, it's the only way to guarantee my safety. Bucky's going to be on your side, so please, just- make sure he's safe, okay?" Steve nodded, Elizabeth watching as Bucky approached the two. He stayed silent, standing beside his wife.

"Do you know me?" Steve asked.

"You're Steve." He answered, remembering what him and Elizabeth had talked about before. "I read about you in a museum." As Sam talked to Steve in his earpiece, Elizabeth turned to Bucky, resting her head against his. They quickly kissed and pulled away.

"I have to go with Tony. Promise me you'll come back." He nodded, letting her leave out the fire escape. Their apartment building was quite nice, so it had stairs that she could walk down. Elizabeth grabbed out her phone, dialing Tony's number as she left the block.

_'This is Tony Stark.'_

"Tony, it's Elizabeth. I need your protection right about now."

_'Enough said. We're in Berlin. Can you make it there?'_

"I've got my due date on a digital certificate, I should be able to take a two hour flight."

_'Wait, you're pregnant?'_

"That's a conversation for another day, Tony. I'll sign the goddamn Sokovia Accords if you give me protection until I can find Marilyn and stay with her until my husband is okay."

_'I already said yes, Elle. Why would you need protection anyway?'_

"Two years ago, everything got leaked onto the web, everyone knows I worked for HYDRA. You of all people should know that." Elizabeth paused, choosing her words wisely. "Also, I might be married to James Barnes."

_'When did that happen?'_

"A year ago. Now, get me the fastest flight to Berlin."

_'Got it. It's in three minutes.'_

"Thanks, Tony. I owe you one."

 _'You owe me much more than one. Now get to Berlin. Natasha's here.'_ He hung up, Elizabeth approaching the terminal. She slipped through security, having to use Tony as an excuse a few times. She finally got on the plane, first class, she'd have to thank Tony for that one. She laid back and relaxed, turning on a television show before drifting off to sleep.


	20. CHAPTER NINETEEN

(2016)

Elizabeth walked into a large room, a garage. Agents upon agents were there, and three large black SUV's pulled in, one holding a chamber. She gasped as Bucky was wheeled away in it, Sam, T'Challa and Steve walking out of the SUV in the middle, being greeted by Natasha and Steve. Elizabeth walked up to Agent Ross, who was talking to Steve alongside a blonde woman.

"What's going to happen to him?"

"Ma'am, calm down."

"Tell me what the hell is going on with my husband or so help me god-"

Agent Ross sighed, knowing he wouldn't get anywhere with a hormonal pregnant woman. "Same thing that ought to happen to Rogers. Psychological evaluation and extradition." She began breathing heavier, clutching onto her chest and making wishes that her husband would be okay.

"This is Everett Ross, Deputy Task Force Commander." The blonde woman said, introducing them. "I'm Sharon Carter. Those guys already know who I am. I'm guessing you're on the side of the Accords?" She asked, shaking hands with Elizabeth firmly.

"Yes. I'm James Buchanan Barnes' wife." She nodded, shooting her a sympathetic smile.

"What about our lawyer?" Steve asked.

Everett scoffed, folding his arms. "Lawyer. That's funny. See their weapons are placed in lockup." Agent Ross paused, looking around for a bit. "Oh, we'll write you a receipt." He smirked, the other officers releasing Steve and Sam's handcuffs before letting them follow him alongside Sharon and Elizabeth.

"I better not look out the window and see anybody flying around in that. Sam remarked, eliciting a small smile from Elizabeth despite the situation.

"If anyone's gonna steal that suit, it's me."

"Yeah, well don't, because you'll be signing your death warrant." She scoffed, turning back around and continuing to walk alongside Agent Ross. They stayed in silence for a few minutes, walking along whatever compound they had given Elizabeth the coordinates to. They approached a larger room with desks in it, one monitoring Bucky. Elizabeth's heart broke as she sat down at a large desk, surrounded by glass.

"You'll be provided with an office instead of a cell. Do me a favour please, stay in it?" Everett demanded, looking from T'Challa to Elizabeth. "As for you, you're free to go. You obviously can't fight. So stay here, leave, whatever you want. But if you decide to fight, it's our problem."

"I don't intend on going anywhere."

They watched as Natasha walked in, speaking with T'Challa. "For the record, this is what making things worse looks like." T'Challa left, leaving just Elizabeth, Steve, Sam and Natasha. Elizabeth sat down, grabbing one of the trash cans and hurling into it, Natasha coming up behind her and stroking her back.

"It's nice to see you too, Liz."

"He's alive." Steve remarked, staring off into space. Elizabeth didn't speak about it, feeling bad that she had lied to Steve about Bucky remembering almost everything at that point. She sighed, putting the trash can down and eagerly accepting a mint from Natasha, popping it in her mouth as Tony walked in.

"No. Romania was not Accords-sanctioned." He said, on the phone with someone. "And, Colonel Rhodes is supervising cleanup."

"Try not to break anything while we fix this." Elizabeth fought off her nauseousness, trying to stay awake.

"Consequences? You bet there'll be consequences. Obviously you can quote me on that 'cause I just said it. Anything else?" Tony paused, rolling his eyes. "Thank you, sir." He put his phone down, ending the call and putting it in his pocket, sitting down across from Steve and next to Elizabeth. Natasha and Sam remained standing.

"'Consequences'?" Steve asked.

"Secretary Ross wants you both prosecuted." Tony stated, pointing to Steve and Sam. "Had to give him something."

"I'm not getting that shield back, am I?"

Natasha sighed, leaning against the glass walls. "Technically, it's the government's property." She said, turning to Sam. "Wings, too." Elizabeth hurled again, desperately cursing her pregnancy in a moment like that. She gratefully took Natasha's packet of mints, swallowing three and swishing two in her mouth.

"Let's go get you somewhere with a nearby bathroom." Natasha said, helping Elizabeth up and out of the room. General Ross took Sam out as well, and Elizabeth worried as she saw Steve and Tony begin to converse in the office. Elizabeth and Natasha approached a nice deck, the pregnant one leaning against the railing. They watched the television through one of the windows, broadcasting Bucky in a holding cell. Something felt off to Elizabeth, but she shook it off as some morning sickness.

"He's gonna be fine." Natasha reassured. "From what stories Steve has told me, he doesn't seem like the kind of guy to run off on his almost due wife."

Elizabeth laughed. "No, he isn't."

**♦♢♦**

The two walked back inside after a while of catching up, both of them watching in concern as the power went out. The camera stayed on Bucky, and the sound was working fine. They walked back into the office, looking at the tens of screens, not stepping forward into the glass office. The man started talking in Russian, sending a pit of worry down into Elizabeth's stomach.

"Желание" _Longing_. Elizabeth gasped in horror, attracting the attention of most of the agents in the room.

"Those are Bucky's trigger words. That is not the person you hired! Someone get down there!" The alarms started blaring, and Steve immediately ran down the corridor, Natasha sporting an apologetic smile towards Elizabeth before running through another doorway.

"Ржавый, Семнадцать, Рассвет, Печь, Девять, Добросердечный, Возвращение на Родину, Один, Грузовой вагон." _Rusted, Furnace, Daybreak, Seventeen, Benign, Nine, Homecoming, One, Freight Car._ Elizabeth sat down, trying to even out her breathing as more and more people left the office. She pulled her phone out of her pocket and dialed Marilyn's number in panic.

_'Beth? What's going on?'_

"Remember on my wedding day, when you said that if it all went to shit I'd come there?"

_'Yeah? Beth, what's happening?'_

"Someone got Bucky. They- they got his trigger words."

_'Where are you?'_

"Berlin. The next flight I can take is after the baby is born." Marilyn sighed on the other end.

_'Stay safe. Call me as soon as she's born.'_

"I love you, Mari."

'I love you too, Beth.' The line went dead and Elizabeth focused on getting out of the compound area. Knocked out people laid across the floor, making Elizabeth feel sicker than she already felt. and she finally found Everett Ross, joining him, Tony and Natasha. A team came in front of them, focusing on the General.

"Evac all civilians. Get me a perimeter around the building, and gunships in the air." He demanded, everyone nodding their heads and leaving.

"Please tell me you brought a suit." Natasha said, turning to Tony.

"Sure did. It's a lovely Tom Ford, three-piece, two-button. I'm an active-duty non-combatant."

Natasha turned to Elizabeth, a concerned frown on her face. "You need to get out of here. Take that back exit door," She spoke, pointing to the outside. "Call a cab, stay in a hotel." Elizabeth nodded, watching as the woman she had met before, Sharon Carter, approached them, an exasperated look on her face.

"You two, follow me." She said, running past Tony and Natasha. The two shrugged and ran, Natasha shooting a look at Elizabeth before running off. She walked to the door, opening it with all of her strength and seeing many officers outside, scanning the perimeter for her husband. Elizabeth sighed, opening her phone and calling a cab service. After ten minutes or so, the yellow taxi arrived, and she got in, directing the driver to the nearest hotel. She sighed, rubbing her stomach as she felt a rushing pain through her abdomen. The seat became wet and she gasped, tapping the driver's arm rapidly.

"Take me to the nearest hospital and step on it!"


	21. CHAPTER TWENTY

(2016)

"Do you know what you're going to name her?" The nurse asked, a kind smile on her face as she handed Elizabeth her newborn baby. After a long twenty-hour or so long labor, she finally got to look at her beautiful girl. It was hard with nobody's hand to break other than the delivery doctor, but she called Marilyn as soon as she got into the hospital and started contractions. She pressed her baby girl against her chest, sighing with relief, her whole body still in pain.

"Daisy. It- it's my mother's name. Daisy Walters-Barnes." The nurse nodded, signing the birth certificate and smiling.

"Do you have anyone to do a skin-to-skin connection with?"

Elizabeth shook her head. "No, my husband is away." She smiled sadly and left, leaving Elizabeth with her daughter. Her phone rang from the hospital bedside table. She shushed Daisy and shut her ears from the loud ringing noise, she picked it up, seeing an unknown caller ID. She picked it up anyway.

"Hello?" She asked, exhaustion laced in her voice.

 _'Liz.'_ Bucky's voice rang through her ears like a forgotten song she hadn't listened to in years.

"Bucky. You need to come here, I'm sorry but-"

_'I can't. We're heading to the airport.'_

"James. Please don't go. I know what you have to do but right now I need you."

_'I have to. Don't forget about me. I love you.'_

"Please. Don't leave me."

_'I'm so sorry, Liz.'_

"James, I just gave birth to your daughter all on my own! You can't leave now."

_'Please-'_

Elizabeth could hear Sam talking from the other end. _'We're outside the law on this one. So, if you come with us, you're a wanted man.'_

_'I have to go now. I love you so much.'_

"If you leave, you can't come back." The line went dead, and Elizabeth started sobbing violently, clutching her baby to her chest in sorrow. She could only hope that this Avengers fight wouldn't last. She cried for what seemed like hours, hot tears falling down her face as she felt Daisy fall asleep against her chest. She attempted to swallow the cries down to stay silent, relishing in one of the only moments that her baby would be silent. The nurse came in as Elizabeth dozed off, too tired to continue crying anymore. The nurse looked at her in pity before taking the daughter off of her chest, placing her in the trolley and wheeling her out into the nursery. The walls were painted yellow, and that was the reason why Elizabeth could never step into the nursery, it reminded her of painting the walls of the nursery at her old apartment, laughing with bucky and getting the occasional kick. He always laughed, saying that his daughter would become a famous soccer player, but Elizabeth always liked to think that her daughter would do something good for the world. Become the first female president, or rival Tony Stark's company with a full green initiative project. She knew that she would let her daughter do whatever she wished, but she hoped that it would be something to help the world. Daisy whined for a bit, being shushed lightly and rocked by one of the nurses before putting her back down into the plastic crib, wrapping her in a light pink blanket. It was stereotypical, but it was easier for the nurses to pinpoint the babies.

"Your mother is a very strong woman, giving birth to you all on her own." The nurse said, smiling as Daisy began to settle down in her arms. Most newborns needed a little bit of kindness while their mothers were getting rest after long labours. "Now, you want to grow big and strong like your mommy? I'll get some formula ready just in case she's not ready to breastfeed and we'll give you some milk in a bit. You need a nap first little Daisy!" The nurse placed down the baby, wrapping her up extra tight and tugging her little beanie over her head, protecting her ears from the cold. The baby almost smiled, resting her head against the bedding as her eyes shut.

"Welcome to the world, Daisy Walters-Barnes."

**♦♢♦**

The next few weeks were a haze. It was a mix of getting the legal documents ready for Daisy's residency in the US, asking Tony for a private jet, and taking care of the baby. Elizabeth sighed, she had requested for a few people in Berlin to grab some stuff from her apartment in Romania and ship it across to Marilyn's house, where she would be staying for the time being. Thankfully, the hospital she worked at had a sister location in the city, so she would be able to work easily again after her maternity leave was over. She stepped onto the platform of the private jet, cradling her three week old Daisy in a front carrier. Elizabeth sighed, greeting Pepper.

"Hey Elizabeth. How're you doing?" She asked, sipping on some champagne. After everything that had happened, Elizabeth felt like a dam that was about to break. The best thing that she could do at that moment was talk to someone about it, and she was lucky that Pepper had been there for her all her life.

Tears threatened to fall from her cheeks as her eyes swelled. "Horrible." Elizabeth's voice cracked, and immediately Pepper put her hand on her shoulder, a sad look on her face. "My best friends are fighting against each other, my husband left me the day I gave birth, and I just- I just don't know what's going to happen."

"Oh sweetie..." Pepper stood up and sat beside her. "You know that Stark Tower will always have a floor for you."

Elizabeth laughed. "Yeah, yeah. I'm planning to stay with Marilyn for the time being. She's a teacher, so she'll be a lot of help with Daisy." Pepper nodded, rubbing her friend's shoulders. "Everything will be okay, I'm sure. And now this just means I get to see Stephen and Mari more often, so that's an upside."

"Tony's worried about you." She said, looking down at her drink and swirling it around.

"Yeah. I just- I just wish this whole thing would blow over. I want to see my best friends and my husband again, is it too much to ask?" Elizabeth asked, petting Daisy's head softly as tears fell down her cheeks. Pepper wrapped her arm around her friend's shoulder comfortingly.

Pepper sighed. "I know. But you made the right call. Signing the Accords is the most logical thing to do at this moment."

"I know." She replied, kissing Daisy's forehead. "The thing is, and please don't hate me for this, but if I were an Avenger, I wouldn't sign. But because of Daisy, and the future I want for her, I wouldn't sign, and here I am, siding with Tony." Elizabeth heaved a sigh. "It's selfish, really."

A few moments of silence passed before Pepper spoke up. "You should get some rest, I suspect that you haven't gotten any since this little rascal was born." Pepper said, placing down her champagne and grabbing Daisy out of her makeshift hammock. "I'll take her. There's a private lounge room over there, you should be able to sleep in there."

The mother nodded, hugging her friend before leaving the room. She sat down on the large couch, feeling around for a button on the wall and watching it turn into a bed. Elizabeth laid down, relishing in the few moments of peace she had as a new mother. She sighed, trying to cuddle into the pillow. Tears streamed down her face, it wasn't the same without Bucky. She sobbed silently, she didn't know if the room was soundproofed or not, so she muffled her cries of pain with the pillow. Elizabeth could barely even say her husband's name without breaking down, it was a sorrowful sight to see. As her body grew weak from her heaving, she looked at the beautiful ring that James had once given to her. She remembered the night that they had gotten engaged, how happy they both were. Elizabeth knew that it wasn't his fault, he had to fight, but she had their baby. She shook her head. No, not their baby, her baby. She had birthed Daisy all on her own, with only the help of a doctor and a nurse. She fiddled with her ring, and with tears in her eyes, she pulled it off. Elizabeth picked up the couch and shoved it under one of the legs, crushing it down into the ground, not to be found again. Sighing, she got back up, laying back down onto the bed and shutting her eyes. 


	22. CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

(2016)

Marilyn took a hold of Daisy as Elizabeth collapsed onto her couch. She felt bad for her friend. It wasn't what Elizabeth had wanted, she wanted to have a husband and two kids out on the porch of a small farmhouse. Instead she had a fatherless child and lived in a small apartment in New York with her best friend, of which could barely afford rent as it was before. It was still a good life, but Marilyn knew that it would hit her like a truck as soon as she woke up in the guest room. Thankfully, the doctor's friend had a little time to prepare, so with her bonus cheque she bought a crib and a few other things for Daisy, just so that she would be okay until Elizabeth's stuff was delivered in a few days. Mari lifted up Daisy, bumping her up and down a bit before walking into the guest room, placing her down in the cheap crib and wrapping her up in a wool blanket. Daisy giggled before drifting off to sleep, exhausted from the past few weeks. Marilyn left the room, turning on a nightlight as she stepped into the kitchen. She watched through the opening of the wall as Elizabeth turned over, propping her head up against one of the throw pillows and drifting off to sleep slowly. The teacher smiled, cleaning up the dishes before retreating to her bedroom. Marilyn sat down, changing into a tank top and leggings before curling up under the thin, cheap covers. They felt rough under her skin, but she was used to it. After a few moments, she realized she couldn't fall asleep, so she resorted to scanning around her room. The pillow she rested her head on was stained yellow slightly, and the window that sat on the side of her bedroom wall was cracked and shattered, the stained curtains barely covering it due to the rips and thinness of the fabric. Mari turned her body, facing the other side of the room. There was a small mirror, broken and shattered, with an old dresser on the side with a few plants littering it. It was barely a bedroom, but Marilyn loved the hominess of it. She was proud to call it home, as it was hard to get an apartment in New York, let alone to afford the rent raises. Sure, she barely made the electric bill every month, but it was part of the challenge of life, and Mari always saw the best in a bad situation. Soon enough, as she watched her ceiling fan spin slowly, she fell asleep, exhausted after the long day of driving.

**♦♢♦**

Elizabeth woke with pain in her back from her sleeping position the night before, sitting up and rubbing her spine. She explored the apartment, looking through the kitchen and bathroom before making her way into the guest bedroom. She smiled as she saw Daisy still fast asleep in her crib. Elizabeth scanned the bedroom she'd be sleeping in for the foreseeable future. The bed was surprisingly nice, not marshmallow-like but not hard as concrete. There were two pillows, both stained slightly but not too much, and across from her bed was an open window, letting in natural light and a nice breeze from the cold morning in New York. Daisy squealed, laughing as the cold air nipped at her nose and cheeks, turning her face a bit red. Elizabeth smiled, grasping her into her warm arms and rocking her back and forth, pressing her head against the soft woolen cardigan Elizabeth wore. Bucky had sewed it for her, and even put some stars on it, saying that it looked like the night sky, since the cardigan was dark blue. Daisy was placed back down after she was fed and burped, luckily falling back to sleep pretty fast. She stayed there for a moment, watching as her daughter's eyes fluttered shut. They were blue, just like Bucky's, but she had long eyelashes like Elizabeth. It was hard to tell, but her hair looked like a perfect mix, dark brown with a hint of black. Daisy's skin was fair like Elizabeth's, but she definitely had Bucky's nose and lips. She sighed, walking out of the guest room and out of the apartment, breathing in the sharp air and huddling her cardigan closer into her torso. Elizabeth walked down the road, exploring the side of New York she had only visited a few times. She assumed that after a few days of staying in New York, her and Marilyn would move back to her cottage in New Jersey. She knew there was a small school in the town that she lived near, and it would be a perfect place to raise Daisy. She'd never have to know about the dangers that the Avengers faced, and she'd be safe. Before she knew it, it had been a few hours, and Elizabeth turned back around, seeing that she had gone in a complete circle, walking back up into the apartment building. Marilyn was cuddling Daisy, using the baby holder that Elizabeth had brought with her from Berlin. She was chopping up some vegetables into a salad, smiling as she met her best friend's eyes.

"As soon as your stuff comes we can figure out what we're going to do next." Mari explained, looking up from her chopping as she cracked an egg into a bowl. "I was thinking about going back to the cottages, but it's your call. I just feel like Daisy won't be safe in New York, considering what's happened in the past few years."

Elizabeth sighed. "I feel like that'd be best, too. My stuff should be coming tonight, so we can leave tomorrow morning. It's not too far of a drive." Marilyn nodded, putting her salad into the fridge and wiping down the counters. "Daisy can grow up there, it's the best option for her." The doorbell rang, and Elizabeth spun on her heel, turning around and opening the door.

A man stood with a moving van behind him, a clipboard in his hand and a pencil in his ear. "Hi, I have a delivery for Doctor Elizabeth Walters from Stark Industries?" She nodded, signing on the clipboard and watching as three different people brought her stuff in from Romania. As they finished and left, Elizabeth grabbed a few boxes and loaded them into the trunk of Marilyn's car, preparing for the journey the next morning. After a long half hour of heavy lifting, she retreated back inside and met Marilyn's snores. She smiled warmly as she saw her and Daisy cuddled up on the couch, breathing deeply in and out, almost rhythmic to each other. Elizabeth smiled, placing a blanket over the two and walking into the guest bedroom, dragging her hand against the dresser and picking up dust, wiping it on her distressed blue jeans. She jumped onto the bed, bouncing a bit before becoming stable and laying down on top of the blanket with pink roses sewed onto it. After a few minutes, she was fast asleep, basking in the smell of cheap pillowcases and drywall.

**♦♢♦**

It was noon the next day when the trio arrived at Elizabeth's cottage. She thanked her past self for getting a house sitter, so she wouldn't have to worry about food for the night. The two walked out of the car, one carrying a baby and one carrying two boxes and a few bags, walking up and unlocking the door she hadn't seen in a long time. It was just like Elizabeth had left it. Plants still thriving, littered everywhere there was an open space, an empty fireplace with ivy crawling all over the bricks. She looked out the large glass windows, showing Daisy the field she'd grow up in.

"You got a guest bedroom or something?" Marilyn asked, heaving one of the boxes onto the ground.

"There's a full annex in the basement, and a guest bedroom upstairs with a bathroom attached. Take your pick." Mari nodded, walking downstairs to scan around. Elizabeth placed Daisy down onto the crib she had brought in earlier, looking at her scar-ridden hands. Even though the battle had happened years ago, she still had bullet wounds, a large scar across her stomach, and burn marks on her hands from where she patted out her pant leg. She walked out into the yard, basking in the beautiful sunny weather. Her cows brushed their heads against Elizabeth's hands as she walked past, making her way back onto the back porch and shutting the glass door behind her.

She met Mari in the living room. "I'm gonna go change into some different clothes. I'll be back in a few." Her friend nodded, cradling Daisy back and forth in her arms as Elizabeth walked up the steps. She fumbled through her dresser, choosing out a white ankle-length dress with sewed-on flower patterns and brown ankle boots, putting a long creme-coloured trench coat on overtop. She pulled her hair into a ponytail with a white ribbon and walked back downstairs, picking up the crib and placing it in her bedroom. Elizabeth walked back downstairs again, going out onto the front porch and watching as Marilyn took more boxes in from the car. They both worked together until all of the boxes were inside and unpacked, stopping a few times to take care of Daisy upstairs.

"So... I need a job now." Marilyn said, passing Elizabeth a cup of tea in a fancy china glass, sitting down across from her on the porch as old swing music played. "I'm pretty sure there's a school in the town, but I can't remember, it's been so long since I've lived here." The blonde chuckled, scratching her cheek.

"Yeah. I worked at a small hospital in the village, a lot of kids came in with the flu every winter. You should be able to find the elementary school there, unless they're all homeschooled." Mari nodded, sipping on her tea and looking out onto the pasture.

Elizabeth sighed, swirling her glass around before placing it back down on the coaster. "Do you think there's a therapy place that'll take me? Even after everything got leaked onto the internet? My history with HYDRA is pretty sketchy, if you ask me."

"You'll be fine, besides, not much of the town is connected to WiFi unlike you, so I think you'll be okay."

"Emphasis on most, Mari. They're gonna find out somehow that I'm an ex-deadly assassin, whether it's from the internet or the daily paper they get in their mailbox." Marilyn looked out onto the field again, placing her china mug down on the table and getting up, gazing at the ivy-ridden wall behind her.

"Elizabeth, everything's going to be great! You have Daisy and me." She stated, brushing her blonde hair out of her face. "Now, I'm going to steal some of your clothes. The market isn't open until tomorrow, after all." Elizabeth chuckled, waving her best friend away. She watched as Marilyn walked back into the cottage, smiling as she sipped the last of her tea down. A nice fog had settled just above the grass, making the mountain range behind her field almost invisible. The sheep and cows made noises as they retreated back into their barn, the air temperature dropping slowly as it got later and later. Mari came back outside with a full teapot and clothed appropriately in a long plaid skirt and white cotton long sleeve sweater, pulled together in a dress with a leather belt around her hips. They sipped their tea until the teapot was empty, then retreated back inside. The air was much warmer, and they both basked in the fireplace glow. Marilyn followed Elizabeth upstairs and turned into the guest bedroom, not before saying goodnight to Daisy, though. Elizabeth fell onto her bed, reluctantly changing into an ankle-length nightgown before shutting her eyes and resting her head on the fluffy pillow, getting the best sleep she had gotten in a few days.


	23. CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

[Chapter 22](https://youtu.be/AgFeZr5ptV8)

(2016)

Elizabeth was awoken by her phone ringer blaring in her ears, cueing the cries of her daughter, Daisy, a few moments later. She groaned and went to go check on her, but Marilyn beat her to it, giving her some of the formula they had kept in the fridge and changing her diaper. Elizabeth leaned back in her bed, brushing out her nightgown and picking up the phone, which was still ringing, surprisingly. She had just woken up, so the voice on the other end was inaudible against her ear for the first few moments.

"Hello? Who is this?"

 _'This is the West Brooklyn Hospital.'_ Elizabeth's heart stopped, hoping that whoever was in trouble was okay. _'Doctor Stephen Strange has been in a car accident just off of the state border. You were his first emergency contact._ ' She didn't have time to appreciate the fact that she was Stephen's emergency contact, she was too riddled with worry. _'He'll be okay, but sadly, he will not be able to continue his practices of medicine due to his hand condition. We've done everything we can.'_

Elizabeth sighed, running her hand through her hair. "Thank you for letting me know. Do you need me to drive down to Brooklyn to check up on him?" The nurse took a moment to respond, but Elizabeth could hear rustling of paper and cardboard, most likely a clipboard.

_'No. Doctor Palmer will take him home and see to him getting a pension and a job if he needs it.'_

"Okay. Thank you again."

 _'I will call you if anything happens regarding Stephen.'_ The line went dead and Elizabeth pulled the phone away from her ear, standing up and looking around the room. Marilyn had left the room with Daisy, and opened the window in the process, letting the plants in her bedroom photosynthesize. She got dressed into a green long sleeve shirt and brown skirt, smiling as the sun glowed across her skin. She let her hair flow down to her shoulders before leaving the room, walking downstairs to be faced with the most delicious smell.

"Pancakes?" Marilyn nodded, giggling as Daisy grabbed at her mom from the baby seat they had bought for the island counter. Elizabeth sat down and devoured her serving of pancakes very quickly, pouring maple syrup and whipped cream over them before shoving bits in her mouth. The two friends conversed about different things, mainly worrying about their friend Stephen. They grinned and laughed every time Daisy spit up, making inaudible noises and trying to form the words that the two women were using. Finishing off her pancakes and coffee, Elizabeth quickly cleaned up the dishes in the sink and walked back to the island, picking up Daisy and playing with her for a bit. They made their way outside and Elizabeth sat on her own in the field while Marilyn showed Daisy the cows and sheep, letting her pet their noses every now and then.

"Hey." She gasped as Bucky appeared beside her, a faint glow around his chest.

"You aren't real." She explained. Elizabeth had worked in psychology for a few months for extra university credits after she graduated from SHIELD, so she could tell the signs of hallucination. It made sense, she was emotionally scarred by the way that James had left her alone with their baby.

"So? Does it really matter?" He asked, scooting closer to her. "I may just be imaginary, but you still think of me, doll."

Elizabeth glared at him. "Don't call me that. You aren't real. Even if you were, I wouldn't be talking to you." He sighed, leaning back into the thick grass and laying down. "You're a piece of shit for what you did to me, James." Bucky nodded, resting his head on his arms behind him.

"I know. But don't you miss me?" She stayed silent, not wanting to admit the truth. "C'mon. You should call Steve. He probably misses you, too. Such a shame that he chose his best friend that had murdered millions over his innocent best friend." His voice became colder as Elizabeth scooted away from him, waiting for him to disappear into a figment of her imagination.

"Don't say that about yourself- about Bucky. Just get out of my head, please." And as quickly as he had come, Bucky disappeared. Marilyn walked over with Daisy in her arms, sitting down beside Elizabeth in the grass. She looked at her friend with concern, handing the child over to her.

"Beth is everything okay? You look spooked."

Elizabeth merely smiled at her friend. "I'm okay."

**♦♢♦**

"Stephen, what the hell do you mean by 'I went to Nepal and now I'm outside of a place that won't let me in'? Stephen what's going on?!" Elizabeth demanded, running her free hand through her hair. As Marilyn walked in she put the phone on speaker, placing it down on the coffee table.

 _'Look, I can't work anymore. That's all my life is, Elizabeth, you know that. So, I got a tip to go to some place called the Kamar-Taj. They said that it'll help me heal my hands and get back to work.'_ Elizabeth sighed, cuddling Daisy and taking her out of Marilyn's arms.

"You're so stubborn, Stephen." She stated, rubbing her head. "So you're in the middle of Nepal, no idea where you are, and you're expecting to just get magical powers from someone called 'The Ancient One'? Stephen, you're losing your mind here!"

"He may not be totally insane." Mari explained, brushing the dust off of a thick book she had found. "This book says that there was once a bunch of guardians, used to protect one of the infinity stones. The Time Stone."

"Like the one in Loki's scepter and the Tesseract?"

"Exactly." She responded, scanning the book. "It says that they used magic to protect it, but one day some evil wizard came and prepared to use dark magic, which was forbidden." Stephen let out a shaky breath, most likely freezing cold this time of year. "So, they created three Sanctums in each major city. London, New York, and Honk Kong. Although, one of the main training places is in Nepal. Called the Kamar-Taj."

Elizabeth breathed in deeply, placing Daisy on the couch and leaving the room to brew a cup of tea, still being able to hear the conversation. _'Okay. It's good to know I'm not completely clinically insane.'_ He chuckled, pain laced in his attempt at laughing. _'Oh god, guys, I don't have any money.'_ Elizabeth rushed into the living room, still waiting for her tea to boil.

 _'Your watch._ ' The two heard someone else speak on the other line, both scared for their friend.

 _'No, please... It's all I have left."_ He spoke dejectedly.

 _'Your watch.'_ They spoke more firmly.

 _'All right._ ' Elizabeth heard a few clinks of metal, she could only assume it was his watch being taken off. As Stephen groaned in pain, the call cut off, disconnecting them from their friend. They sighed, Elizabeth standing up and pouring her tea as the kettle began to whistle loudly. She sat back down quickly and stayed in silence, watching Marilyn play with Daisy and try to cheer herself up from Stephen's issues. Elizabeth was really worried for him, she wondered if he was actually going to get magical powers, or if he was just hallucinating like her.

"Hey..." Mari spoke softly, resting her hand on Elizabeth's shoulder comfortingly. "He'll be okay. You know Stephen."

She laughed in return. "I'm not worried about him, I'm sure he'll be fine..." Elizabeth spoke, trailing off as her eyes latched onto her tea.

"Then what's wrong?"

"I've been seeing more and more hallucinations of James... I think-" She took a breath in sharply. "I think I need to see a therapist, Mari."


	24. CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE

(2018)

Elizabeth stood in the New York sanctum with Marilyn, Stephen and Wong, the two women chuckling at the men's conversations. Daisy was left with a babysitter in her cottage, thankfully, so they had the time to spend with their old friends and catch up after all the lost years.

The four walked down the steps. "Seriously? You don't have any money?" Stephen asked Wong in response to him asking if Stephen could buy him a sandwich.

"You guys are wizards. I doubt you have any need for money." Elizabeth snickered, playing with her empty ring finger. "Can't you just, like, conjure up a sandwich in your hands or something?" Stephen glared at her, rolling his eyes before walking down the large steps.

"I'll tell the guys at the deli." He spoke, fiddling with his sling ring. "Maybe they'll make you a metaphysical ham on rye."

Marilyn laughed, doubling over at the end of the staircase, walking ahead of the three. "You guys need to stop being wizards for like two minutes and start being humans. Y'know, nine-to-five job, maybe a wife or husband. Being weird gets boring sometimes."

"And being boring gets boring a lot, Mari." Stephen retorted, rolling his eyes again.

Wong stopped on the staircase, digging through his fancy wizard clothes. "Wait, wait wait wait..." He said, pulling out a few dollar bills. "I think I have two hundred." Elizabeth looked at him, startled. She turned around fully and stopped walking.

"You have two hundred dollars just in your pocket?!" She asked, astonished.

"No, rupees."

Elizabeth rolled her eyes and continued walking down the stairs. "Which is?" Stephen asked Wong.

"Uh, a buck and a half."

"What do you want?"

"I wouldn't say no to a tuna melt." The four finally reached the end of the staircase, not before something loudly crashed behind them. Elizabeth, Marilyn, Wong and Stephen all whipped around, the Cloak of Levitation wrapping itself around Stephen's shoulders. They all looked down into the hole, seeing none other than Bruce Banner in the hole.

"Bruce?" Elizabeth asked, her eyes melting into a look of concern. Stephen's full wizard outfit appeared on him as they looked down at him.

"Thanos is coming. He's coming..."

Stephen, Marilyn, and Elizabeth both spoke at the same time. "Who?"

"This guy, his name is Thanos. He looks like a grape had a baby with a rake." Bruce spoke, using Elizabeth's hand to get out of the hole he was in. Stephen snapped his fingers and handed him a blazer and shirt. "He wants to kill half of every planet in the universe. He- he killed Loki. The attack on New York? That was him."

Marilyn gasped. "Tony's gonna want his head on a platter if he caused that." Bruce nodded.

"He should anyway. We need to move." Stephen nodded, using his sling rings to open up a portal into a New York park. The four were met with Pepper Potts and Tony Stark. Stephen was the only one who stepped out of the portal, but Elizabeth, Marilyn and Bruce stayed close behind.

"Tony Stark. I'm Doctor Stephen Strange. I need you to come with me." He said, watching as Tony's face contorted into confusion. "Oh, uh, congratulations on the wedding, by the way." Elizabeth smiled, feeling around in her pocket for the thick piece of parchment, inviting her to the two's ceremony the following week.

Still with a look of shock on his face, Tony spoke up. "I'm sorry, you giving out tickets or something?"

"We need your help." Stephen explained. "Look, it's not overselling to say that the fate of the universe is at stake." Elizabeth winced, rubbing the back of her neck. Marilyn wrapped her arm around her friend's shoulder, pulling her close before releasing and smiling at her.

"And who's 'we'?" Bruce and Elizabeth both walked out of the portal. Bruce hadn't seen Tony since Sokovia, and didn't know anything about the Sokovia Accords. Elizabeth hadn't seen her billionaire friend face-to-face since the Avengers broke up, but they kept in touch through phone calls and texting every once in a while.

"Bruce..." Tony spoke, it was so light, almost in a whisper.

"Pepper." Bruce nodded his head, curling his hands into his blazer. Elizabeth stayed silent, still trying to comprehend what the hell was going on.

"Hi." The strawberry blonde responded, smiling lightly at the scientist.

"You okay?" Before Bruce could answer Tony's question, he barreled into him, desperately holding his old friend tightly in a hug. Tony cautiously hugged the man back, patting his back in reassurance. Nobody had a clue where he or Thor was at the time of the Accords, so they didn't want to pry into what had happened, not at that time, anyway.

"Elizabeth." Tony breathed out as Bruce let go of him. She pulled him into a hug as well, tears threatening to fall from her eyes as she turned and hugged Pepper as well. They were just as she remembered, but more mature. She had planned on seeing them first at the wedding, but obviously, things didn't plan out.

"We need to go." Elizabeth spoke, pulling away from Pepper. "As Stephen said, the universe is at stake right now."

Tony let realization fall into his eyes. "Wait, is this _the_ Stephen Strange? Your best friend?"

"Second best friend." Marilyn said, walking out of the portal. Stephen rolled his eyes, picking at his sling ring and looking at Tony.

"Yes." Elizabeth answered. "Now let's go. The universe needs us." Pepper kissed Tony on the cheek and patted his back, watching as he disappeared through the portal and into the sanctum, being followed by Stephen, Elizabeth, Marilyn and Bruce. They entered the Sanctum, Tony watching in awe as Wong used his powers to show a diagram of the universe. Five of the infinity stones were seen in it, and the four non-wizards were astonished.

"From the dawn of the universe, there was nothing." Wong explained. "Then, boom! The Big Bang sent six elemental crystals hurtling across the virgin universe. These Infinity Stones each control an essential aspect of existence." Tony looked very confused, but continued listening nonetheless.

"Space, Reality, Power, Soul, Mind." Stephen named the stones, opening his Eye of Agamotto. "And Time." It emitted an emerald glow. Elizabeth had known her best friend had held one of the Infinity Stones, and she knew about them. But never did she think she would have to save them.

"Tell me his name again." Tony spoke, turning to Bruce.

"Thanos." The scientist answered. "He's a plague, Tony. He invades planets, he takes what he wants. He wipes out half of the population. He sent Loki. That attack on New York. That's him." Elizabeth saw Tony visibly tense up. She rested her hand on his shoulder, rubbing it back and forth.

He smiled in thankfulness, placing his hand over hers in a friendly reassurance. "This is it... What's our timeline?"

"No telling." Bruce responded. "He has the Power and Space Stones, that already makes him the strongest creature in the whole universe."

"If he gets his hands on all six stones, he can wipe out planets' populations half at a time." Elizabeth explained. Marilyn stayed quiet, not knowing her place in this situation. She wasn't a superhero, she was the person who helped her ex-superhero best friend with her daughter.

"This is a problem on a scale hitherto undreamt of." Elizabeth's hand fell off of Tony's shoulder as he rested his hand against Stephen's cauldron. He grabbed his leg and stretched it out, cracking his neck and back. "Did you seriously just say 'hitherto undreamt of'?"

"Are you seriously leaning on the Cauldron of the Cosmos?" Stephen retorted, watching as the Cloak of Levitation smacked Tony.

"I'm going to allow that." He said, brushing himself off. "If Thanos needs all six, why don't we just stick this one down the garbage disposal?"

Elizabeth sighed. "They swore an oath to protect the Time Stone with their lives, Tony." Stephen and Wong looked at her, wondering how she remembered that conversation from such long ago.

"And I swore off dairy, but then, Ben and Jerry's named a flavour after me, so..."

"Stark Raving Hazelnuts. To be honest, it's a bit chalky." Elizabeth responded, picking at her nails with nervousness.

Wong spoke up. "A Hunka-Hulka Burning Fudge is our favourite."

"That's a thing?" Bruce asked, looking into Marilyn's eyes.

"Yup. And hey, why did you ask me? Did Elizabeth tell you about the time I ate a whole canister of ice cream in one sitting because I swear to god-"

"Whatever." Tony said, breaking the conversation. "Point is; things change."

"Our oath to protect the Time Stone cannot change, Stark." Stephen responded. "This Stone may be the best chance we have against Thanos."

Tony looked at Elizabeth, trying to get her on his side. "He's right, Tony. If Thanos even gets his hand on this stone and none of the others, he can still do much worse than what he could with none of them. Even if it's also his best chance against us."

"Well, if we don't do our jobs, that is." Stephen said, looking at Elizabeth.

Tony scoffed condescendingly. "What is your job, exactly, besides making balloon animals?" He asked sarcastically, emitting an eye roll from almost everyone in the room besides Wong, who really didn't grasp the concept of human humour yet, let alone sarcasm.

"Protecting your reality, douchebag." The wizard responded with an equal amount of sarcastic tone.

"Okay, guys, could we table this discussion right now?" Bruce spoke with an annoyed tone, all of the others in the room looking back to him. "The fact is that we have this Stone. We know where it is. Vision is out there somewhere with the Mind Stone, and we have to find him now."

Tony took a sharp intake of breath. "Yeah, that's the... thing."

"What do you mean?" Bruce asked. While Tony didn't answer, Elizabeth spoke up.

"Two weeks ago Vision turned off his transponder."

Stephen groaned, knowing about the situation with the Avengers. "Let me guess, Steve Rogers is the only one who can find Vision and Wanda?"

Tony snapped his fingers, pointing at Stephen. "Righty-o there doctor."

"Call him." Bruce spoke, oblivious to the Civil War.

"It's not that easy." Elizabeth responded, turning around to face Bruce.

"The Avengers broke up." Tony explained. "We're toast."

Bruce looked at him in surprise. "Broke up? Like a band? Like The Beatles?"

"Cap and I fell out hard. We're not on speaking terms." Elizabeth felt a pang in her heart, remembering the day like the back of her hand. Her breath caught in her throat. Marilyn sensed her distress and walked up to her, stroking down her back in a comforting measure.

"Tony, listen to me." Bruce pleaded, walking up face-to-face with the billionaire. "Thor's gone. Thanos is coming. It doesn't matter who you're talking to or not." As much as she hated to admit it, Elizabeth knew that Bruce was right, he was always right, wasn't he? Tony turned around and took out a flip phone, before he could click the call button, though, he became distracted by a rumbling noise. Elizabeth turned to face Stephen, watching as a wisp of his hair sitting on his forehead.

"Stephen..." Elizabeth spoke. "You're not moving your hair, are you?"

"Not at the moment, no."

Debris flew by the Hulk-made hole in the Sanctum's roof, causing the group of them to walk out through the doors. Elizabeth stopped just in the doorframe, holding onto Marilyn's shoulders. "If you want me to come back to New Jersey and not fight in this, I will. Just tell me."

Marilyn smiled. "Go save the world." Elizabeth nodded and left, watching as people screamed and ran, cars crashing into each other. A woman fell to Tony's feet, letting him and Elizabeth help her up. "You okay?" She asked, brushing the woman's shoulder's off. She ignored the two and ran off.

Elizabeth screamed as a car almost hit her. She opened the door and saw the man driving, his head pressed against the dash and bleeding severely. "Elizabeth! I need you, now!" Tony yelled, she nodded, picking up the man and placing him down before meeting back up with the others.

"Wong, Bruce, go help him!"

"Go!" The doctor yelled, waving off Wong. "I've got it!" Tony placed on his glasses, tapping the sides and muttering something. Elizabeth stayed close to Stephen, picking up one of the officer's guns they had dropped on the ground, along with a package of ammo.

"Hey!" Tony yelled, looking at Stephen as the hum of something from around the corner became louder and louder. "You might wanna put that Time Stone back in your pocket. Doc!"

"Might wanna use it." He muttered back, opening his mouth slightly as they turned around at the intersection, watching as a huge donut-shaped ship floated over the street. Elizabeth loaded the gun quickly, the feeling that she was going to need it growing more and more.

"Holy shit, this is it."

Tony looked at her with confusion.

"This is the fight we've fought every other battle to get to."


	25. CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR

(2018)

The donut ship beamed down two strange-looking aliens. One large, and one white and with no nose. Elizabeth breathed deeply, holding her gun tighter in her pale hands. Black leggings and a white t-shirt wasn't the best fighting outfit, but it'd have to do.

"Hear me, and rejoice. You are about to die at the hands of the Children of Thanos." The shorter one spoke, Elizabeth had to admit, his voice was quite ugly. "Be thankful, that your meaningless lives are now contributing to-"

"I'm sorry, Earth is closed today." Tony spoke, reminding everyone of his old defiant self. "You better pack it up and get outta here."

The alien looked to Stephen. "Stonekeeper. Does this chattering animal speak for you?" He asked, gesturing to Tony.

"Certainly not." He scoffed. "I speak for myself." He clapped his fists together twice and pulled them apart, creating two orange shields. "But you're trespassing in this city and on this planet." Wong copied him, Elizabeth feeling immediately underpowered. These were wizards and aliens, and she had a handgun.

"It means get lost, Squidward!" Tony yelled.

The alien rolled his eyes. "He exhausts me."

"Yeah well, get in the line!" Elizabeth yelled, the aliens finally noticing her presence. A few moments of silence passed, leaving Elizabeth to feel more and more out of place in the current situation. As she pondered, the rest of the ex-Avengers and the two wizards stayed put, letting the shorter alien murmur to the taller one.

"Bring me the Stone." The bigger alien heaved his huge hammer on the ground, dragging it along whilst walking closer and closer to the group.

"Hey Bruce, now would be a great time to turn into the other guy right now." Elizabeth spoke, arching her neck towards him. She looked over, seeing green crawl up his neck and disappear. He was having issues bringing out the Hulk, it was obvious.

"Been a while." Tony spoke. "Good to have you, buddy."

"I just need to concentrate here for one second." He brushed off Tony, still yelling in pain as the Hulk refused to come out. "Come on, man."

"Where is he, Bruce?" Elizabeth asked, concern lacing her tone.

"I don't know. We've sort of been having a thing."

Tony scoffed. "There's no time for a thing right now."

"I know." Bruce replied, still desperately trying to release his other half. Elizabeth rubbed his back, trying to coax the Hulk to come out, but nothing worked. She sighed, slapping Bruce alongside the face. He held his cheek in pain, giving Elizabeth an offended look.

"That's the thing right there." Tony said, pointing to the large alien making his way towards the group and ignoring the other two. "Let's go." Bruce let out another loud grunt, but still failing to turn fully green. Stephen and Wong took notice, staring at Bruce with strange looks on their faces.

"Dude, you're embarrassing me in front of the wizards." Tony scoffed, glancing back and forth between Bruce and Stephen.

"Tony, I'm sorry." Bruce said, defeated. "Either I can't or he won't-"

Elizabeth pat him on the back. "Bruce, it's okay. Wong!" She said, waving him down. "Keep an eye on him, please." The large alien got closer and closer, causing Tony to press the LED triangle on his chest down. It donned a new nanotech Iron Man suit onto him. He threw a similar looking triangle onto Elizabeth. It grew onto her body, protecting her in a black metal suit that cut off at her thighs and knee-length boots. It also came with two holsters wrapped around her legs, one holding a black tactical knife, and the other holding a much better gun than the one in her hands.

"Thanks Tony!" She yelled as he used his blasters to throw the large alien back towards the ship. It almost hit the other alien, if not for his flick of the wrist, sending his alien partner into a group of crashed cars. The impact crushed them all, including the wall of the building behind him.

"Where'd those come from?" Bruce asked, motioning to Elizabeth and Tony's suits.

"It's nano-tech." Tony answered. "You like it? A little someth-" He was cut off by the alien throwing a spike of earth towards him, sending him flying high in the sky. Elizabeth was flung into the neighboring building by a tree and some debris he created, hearing her back crack made her emit a large scream.

"Doctor Banner, if the rest of your green friend won't be joining us..." Stephen summoned a portal, teleporting Bruce somewhere else. Elizabeth got up from the ground, sending a few bullets towards the small alien, but he deflected them with his hand. Tony flew back onto the street, grasping a car and throwing it to the alien. The group's eyes widened as he split the car in half, letting the debris fly past him.

"Gotta get that stone outta here, now." Tony exclaimed.

"It stays with me." Stephen stated, glaring at him.

"Exactly, bye." Tony took a hold of Elizabeth and flew with her towards the alien, dodging the flying debris it was hurling at them. Tony dropped her down as he got hit with the bigger alien's large hammer, flying to the ground. Elizabeth kept him distracted by shooting his legs, but it only worked for so long. Whilst she was trying to protect herself, Bruce ran over to Tony, making sure he was okay.

"Guys? A little help here would be great!" Elizabeth yelled, barely dodging the large hammer. "It's coming your way!" Tony pushed Bruce out of the way of the weapon, using one of his energy beams. But, they simply deflected off of the alien's shield, slicing open trees behind them. She stood beside Stephen, watching as Tony flew over to help Bruce in the park.

"Who even is this guy?" Stephen yelled, loud enough for Tony to hear.

"FRIDAY said it's 'Ebony Maw'." Tony responded, his voice trailing off with a grunt. Stephen opened up a whip of magic and binded Ebony's hands while Elizabeth took out her knife, spinning it between her fingers. Doctor Strange yanked on the rope, but the alien simply flew forward and pinned him against the building, covering him slowly with bricks.

"Stephen!" Elizabeth yelled, throwing her knife at the alien's back, only for it to bounce off of Maw's invisible force field.

"Your powers are quaint." He spoke. "You must be popular with children." Ebony mocked, grasping at the Time Stone amulet. He gasped and jerked his hand back, a large and deep scarring littering the palm of his alientetic hand. Elizabeth looked down at her own, smiling as she traced the scars on her right hand.

"It's a simple spell, but quite unbreakable." Stephen retorted.

"Then I'll take it off of your corpse." Maw threatened, pulling Stephen away from the wall and throwing him to the pavement. Before Elizabeth could throw her knife once again at the alien, utility cables wrapped around her body, making her drop the switchblade. She noticed that Stephen was tied up too.

The cables tightened around their throats. "You'll find... removing a dead man's spell... troublesome." He sputtered, gasping for air.

"You'll only wish you were dead." As Ebony focused on Stephen, Elizabeth grabbed her gun out of her holster with great strength, pulling the trigger twice into his back. "Ah!" He screamed, simply becoming paralyzed for a moment. Stephen fell unconscious, letting the Cloak of Levitation pull him out of the ties and fly him away. "No!" Maw yelled, gaining his abilities again as the ties on Elizabeth's body cut loose. Before she could throw another shot at him, the alien blasted off into the sky towards the donut ship. Elizabeth got up and walked towards Bruce and Wong, feeling the slight indents on her neck. They watched as four figures were beamed up into the alien ship. The doctor looked down, spotting Tony's flip phone and picking it up, scrolling to Steve's contact with shaky but deep breaths.

"Where are you going?" Bruce asked, looking at Wong.

"The Time Stone's been taken." He answered. "The Sanctum remains unguarded." He glanced at Elizabeth. "What will you two do?"

The two non-wizards looked at each other for a moment. "I need to make a call." Elizabeth answered.

Wong nodded and left through a portal, not to be seen for a while after that.


	26. CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE

(2018)

Elizabeth and Bruce stood in the Avengers HQ, watching from the window as the rogue Avengers Quinjet landed on the helipad. Elizabeth sneaked a peek at Rhodey, who was dealing with the holographic form of Secretary Ross. Bruce sighed, picking at his fingers through the oversized blazer he wore. Elizabeth still had her new suit on, but it was quite chilly.

"Here." The scientist spoke, handing his friend his jacket, noticing the woman across from him was shivering.

She shot him a thankful smile. "Thanks, Bruce." He nodded, watching as Steve, Natasha, Wanda, Vision and Sam stepped out of the jet. Elizabeth took in a shaky breath, it had been years since she had seen the group, her best friends. Nat had made the right call, joining Steve's side after all the fighting. Her hair was short and blonde, Elizabeth smiled. She had always mentioned she wanted to dye her hair a more natural colour. Steve and Sam both grew beards, courtesy of not having the luxury to shave during their time on the run. Wanda and Vision both looked the same, though it was evident that the last two years had taken a toll on her. The group disappeared from Bruce and Elizabeth's line of sight as they walked into the building.

"What the hell is happening?" Elizabeth asked, not expecting an answer."

"I wish I knew." Bruce replied, making the doctor's head turn to him as he sighed. "I don't think any battle would've prepared us for what's happening now."

Elizabeth nodded. "Me neither. Although, I guess we're having that Avengers reunion we all wanted."

"What even happened?" Bruce asked.

"A few years back, Tony signed the Sokovia Accords, which basically said that the government had to babysit them, and decide whether or not they could step in with specific situations." She replied, gnawing at her bottom lip as she spoke to Bruce. "Steve said he didn't want to sign them, and that split the Avengers up. They gained new recruits for each team, like Spiderman, for example, and Steve's side won, but that also meant they had to go into hiding." Elizabeth explained. She watched as Bruce's face turned into one of understanding, all of the dots connecting in his mind. "And so here we are. Two years later, none of the Avengers on opposing sides talk to each other. Clint and one other member of Steve's team got let go with house arrest due to their families, but the rest had to live as fugitives."

"That makes a lot of sense." Bruce replied, looking down at the ground. "What happened to you when that happened?"

Elizabeth sighed, not wanting to go into much detail, but she thought she owed it to him, after all that had happened. "I fell in love with Steve's old friend, Bucky Barnes, who had gotten taken by HYDRA. Remember him? I left with him before you guys defeated Ultron."

"That's where you were?"

She nodded. "I was happy. I got married, I was pregnant. We were happy." Elizabeth spoke, sniffing a little bit as her eyes grew red. "And then the Civil War tore us apart. He had to fight, and I understood that. But I had to sign those accords. Honestly- if I wasn't nine months pregnant, I would've fought against Tony. But I wanted a better world for my daughter, and I needed safety." Bruce looked at her with empathy in his eyes. "And I haven't seen the father of my child in two years." Bruce nodded, staying silent as the Avengers walked in the room.

"Mr. Secretary." Steve stated, watching as Sam held up an injured Vision with his arm. Bruce and Elizabeth still remained unseen by the fugitives, hiding behind one of the walls.

"You got some nerve, I'll give you that." Ross responded.

Natasha smirked, her hair waving against her neck. "You could use some of that now."

"The world's on fire. You think all is forgiven?" He asked, turning his head from Natasha back to Steve.

"I'm not looking for forgiveness. And I'm way past asking for permission." Steve spoke, eyes burning with hatred for the secretary of state. "Earth just lost her best defender. So we're here to fight." He walked right up to Everett Ross, looking down at his small frame. "And if you wanna stand in our way... we'll fight you, too"

Ross rolled his eyes and looked to Rhodey. "Arrest them."

"All over it." He spoke, rolling his eyes as he wiped the hologram away with his hand. "That's a court-martial." Rhodey smiled at the fugitives. "It's great to see you, Cap." Steve returned the smile to his old friend, hugging him tightly.

"You too, Rhodey." Steve stepped away as Natasha hugged him as well.

"You guys really look like crap." Rhodey laughed. "Must've been a rough couple of years."

"Well, the hotels weren't exactly five star." Sam remarked. Bruce looked at Elizabeth and nodded, both of them stepping out from behind the wall. Bruce shyly waved, playing with his hands near his stomach. Elizabeth smiled softly at Steve, Sam and Natasha, missing her friends.

"Uh, I think you look great..." Bruce spoke, catching Natasha's attention. "Yeah... I'm back." Elizabeth knew about Natasha and Bruce's thing whilst Ultron was wrecking Sokovia. Her previously redheaded friend had called her from outside Clint's farmhouse and gushed about the scientist to her.

"Hi, Bruce." She spoke, smiling softly.

"Nat."

Sam's eyes went wide. "This is awkward." He whispered. Elizabeth chuckled.

"You're telling me." She responded. Steve walked down to her and pulled her into a hug. "Okay, it's good to see you too." Natasha chuckled, waiting until Steve stepped away to pull Elizabeth into an even tighter hug. She had missed her best friend. Sam shook her hand, still not being on a full friend basis, even after the events of SHIELD falling.

"How's Daisy?" Steve asked.

"She's good, staying with Mari in our cottage in Jersey." Elizabeth answered. "She's two."

Natasha smiled. "You better take me to your cottage after all of this."

"I will." She laughed.

"Nice suit." Steve complimented, noticing the black iron outfit underneath the thick blue blazer.

"Stark."

"I hate to break up this reunion." Rhodey interrupted. "But we need to discuss the whole 'end of the world' thing." Elizabeth nodded, following the superhero into a different room. The others stayed behind her, and they all sat in a few moments of silence before figuring out how to go about the defeat of Thanos.

"We have to assume they're coming back, right?" Rhodey asked.

"Yup." Elizabeth answered. "And they'll be able to find us."

Bruce spoke up. "We need all hands on deck. Where's Clint?" He asked, sending a grimace towards the Avengers.

"After the whole Accords situation, he and Scott took a deal." Bruce looked confused at the name, but let Natasha continue. "It was too tough on their families, they're on house arrest." Elizabeth sighed, holding a notepad in one hand tapping a pen against her lips with the other.

"Who's Scott?" The scientist asked.

"Ant-Man." A cold breeze entered the room, and Elizabeth shivered, pulling the blazer Bruce had given her closer towards her chest.

"There's an Ant-Man and a Spider-Man?" He shook his head. "Okay, look... Thanos has the biggest army in the universe. And he is not gonna stop until-"

Elizabeth cut him off. "Until he gets Vision's stone."

Natasha looked at them thoughtfully. "Well then, we have to protect it."

"No, we have to destroy it." Vision stated, shocking everyone. It shocked Wanda more than anyone. "I've been giving a good deal of thought to this entity in my head, about its nature. But also, its composition. I think if it were exposed to a sufficiently powerful energy source, something, very similar to its own signature, perhaps... its molecular integrity could fail."

Wanda stepped towards the robot. "And you, with it. We're not having this conversation." Elizabeth and the rest of the Avengers felt very awkward being a part of the couple's fight, but they stayed nonetheless, trying to break eye contact at all times.

"Eliminating the stone is the only way to be certain that Thanos can't get it."

"That's too high a price."

Vision took Wanda's cheeks into his hands, looking into her eyes. "Only you have the power to pay it." Wanda stepped away from Vision, standing against a different wall and facing away from him as he talked. "Thanos threatens half the Universe. One life cannot stand in the way of defeating him.

Steve broke the awkward silence, still looking down at the ground. "But it should." He looked up. "We don't trade lives, Vision."

"Captain, seventy years ago you laid down your life to save how many millions of people?" Vision stated, turning to Natasha. "You took a chance and saved thousands of lives by joining SHIELD." He turned to Elizabeth. "You could've died during the fall of SHIELD, yet you still neutralized that Helicarrier." He paused. "Tell me, why is this any different?"

"Because you have a choice." Elizabeth answered, looking at Vision dead in the eyes. "Your mind's made up of so many different things. JARVIS, Ultron, Tony, Bruce, the Stone." She trailed off, trying to find the right words for the point she wanted to get across.

"You're saying Vision isn't just the stone?" Wanda asked, looking at the doctor.

Bruce nodded slowly, speaking up. "If we take out the stone, Vision is still there."

"Can we do that?" Natasha asked, watching as everyone in the room's backs straightened at the new plan.

"Not me." Bruce answered, diminishing the plan.

"We better find somewhere." Elizabeth stated.

"And fast." Rhodey spoke, crossing his arms. "Ross isn't exactly just gonna let you guys have your old rooms back."

Steve, with a grimace on his face, perked up. "I know somewhere."


	27. CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX

(2018)

Elizabeth sat next to Natasha in the Quinjet as they passed over the trees of South Africa. Sam was the pilot, Steve standing behind him and making sure he was going right into the place Wakanda was sitting. Natasha was standing against the wall, talking with Vision and Wanda. Elizabeth, Rhodey and Bruce stayed on the other end of the jet, watching out the windows as forests upon forests passed them.

"Drop to two thousand six hundred, heading zero three zero." Steve stated, walking back up beside Sam near the control panel. The pilot pushed the steering wheel forward, giving the captain a concerned look. They were heading straight into another bushel of trees, but Elizabeth trusted him.

"I hope you're right about this, Steve." Elizabeth spoke, walking up and standing on the other side of Sam. "We're heading straight into the ground at this point." She stated, picking at her uneven and broken nails. It was a habit she had gathered after Bucky left. She stopped thinking, mind blank as they entered a camouflage force field, revealing a large, beautiful city. Everyone besides Steve gasped in awe, watching as they approached skyscrapers they couldn't even have imagined.

"Holy shit..." Sam exclaimed, attempting to land in front of a larger building. A bunch of people walked out in warrior gear, meeting them as the door opened and revealed a ramp. Steve and Natasha walked out first, followed by Sam and Elizabeth, then Bruce and Rhodey, and Vision and Wanda at the rear.

"Should we bow?" Bruce whispered to Rhodey, making Elizabeth snicker as they approached the group of Wakandans.

"Yeah, he's a king." Rhodey joked, shooting a wink towards Sam and Elizabeth as they turned their heads to look at them. The group stood beside each other, Steve shaking the man's hand and speaking to him. Elizabeth noticed he was King T'Challa of Wakanda, the one who had attacked Bucky all those years ago. She snickered as Bruce bowed to the king, Sam immediately bursting into laughter.

Rhodey faked shock. "What are you doing?"

"We don't do that here." T'Challa spoke, waving Bruce away with his hands. He shot Rhodey a look for pranking him, only to be met with a large grin. "I do not believe we have met." T'Challa stated, turning towards Elizabeth. "I am King T'Challa of Wakanda."

She shook his hand. "Doctor Elizabeth Walters."

"I've heard many things about you."

"Hopefully nothing from the HYDRA files."

He laughed. "No, I tend to stay away from that kind of thing." Elizabeth nodded, stepping back and leveling back next to Sam. "So, how big of an assault can we expect?" T'Challa asked, his face dropping into a frown. Bruce sighed, following the group up as they walked towards a large administrative building.

"I think you can expect a big assault." Bruce answered.

"How are we looking military-wise?" Elizabeth asked, taking off her blazer and handing it back to Bruce as the air grew warmer around her.

"You will have my Kingsguard, the Border Tribe, the Dora Milaje, and..."

"A semi-stable, one hundred year old man." Elizabeth hid behind Bruce, trying to hide her face as she watched someone take Vision and Wanda away to their laboratory. She knew that voice, it was James. Her breath was caught in her throat, and she could feel the air being sucked out of her lungs as Bucky and Steve talked. Her vision became blurry, her body hyperventilating as she panicked. Elizabeth couldn't hear anything other than a thick ringing in her ear, blocking out Bruce and Natasha trying to calm her down. She didn't even notice the fact that they had helped her into the laboratory, and as her eyes focused again, Bucky was nowhere to be seen.

"Hey, are you okay?" Steve asked, approaching her and the two others. She nodded, tears evident in her eyes that she hadn't even noticed before.

"Yeah."

"Woah, the structure is polymorphic." The girl inspecting Vision spoke. Elizabeth followed Bruce towards her, standing at the foot of the bed.

"Right, we had to attach each neuron non-sequentially." Bruce replied, proud of himself.

"Why didn't you just reprogram the synapses to work collectively?" She asked, Bruce's moment of large ego dying slowly.

Vision looked at Bruce as he sheepishly answered. "Because... we didn't think of it...?"

"I'm sure you did your best." The girl reassured. Elizabeth anxiously chuckled, still trying to even out her breathing. Every breath she took, the suit seemingly became less tight, her lungs becoming bigger and bigger. And Elizabeth's pale face's glow returned instead of the green sickly tint.

After a few minutes, Wanda spoke. "Can you do it?"

"Yes, but there are more than two trillion neurons here. One misalignment could cause a cascade of circuit failures." The girl answered, looking back to King T'Challa to speak to him for a moment. "It will take time, brother." He nodded, looking at the ex-Avengers.

"How long?" Steve asked.

"As long as you can give me."

The attention was turned to one of the warriors in the room, Elizabeth watched as a hologram was projected from her wrist. "Something's entered the atmosphere." She stated, seeing a large object fly into Earth in the hologram. Elizabeth was mesmerized by the technology, but made sure to focus on the issue at hand.

"We better get ready." Elizabeth stated, pushing Vision back onto the table as soon as she noticed him trying to step off of it.

"It's too late. We need to destroy the stone now." He spoke, pushing Elizabeth away.

"Vision, get your ass back on that table." Natasha demanded, helping the doctor place the android back onto the bed.

T'Challa spoke next. "We will hold them off." Him, the female warrior and a few other guards headed for the door.

"Wanda, as soon as the stone's out of his head, you blow it to hell." Steve spoke. Elizabeth sighed, knowing she'd have to face Bucky again. They were on the same side, so she'd have to push her two year old feelings aside and introduce Bucky to Daisy after they had defeated Thanos. If they defeated Thanos.

T'Challa turned around, facing the ex-Avengers once again. "Evacuate the city. Engage all defense procedures." He pointed to Steve. "And get this man a shield." 


	28. CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN

(2018)

Elizabeth stood beside Sam and Rhodey, glancing behind her every once in a while. She caught Bucky's eye a few times, but strayed away as the pit in her stomach grew again. It would be over soon. They'd win and it'd go back to normal, never seeing each other. She watched as Bruce came out in a large Hulkbuster suit, courtesy of Stark, she guessed. Elizabeth laughed a bit as he fell over on a rock, watching as she walked behind where she was, standing beside T'Challa as the warriors faced the large alien spacecraft coming through Wakanda.

"Do you think we're ready for this?" She asked. Elizabeth had never met T'Challa, but she knew he was after James all those years ago. They surely had forgiven each other, and Elizabeth wasn't that angry with him at all. She knew he would be a great asset for fighting Thanos.

"No." He spoke bluntly, keeping his head faced towards the barrier. "But we can not go back now." Elizabeth nodded at T'Challa's statement, watching as all of the Wakandan soldiers lined up. She felt out of place, so she strayed further and further away from the king, only to be stopped by him.

"We are all fighting for the same thing." He said, this time looking the doctor in the eyes. "We must put our ranks aside just this once." She sighed and stood a little behind T'Challa, grasping her gun against her hip. The Wakandans began yelling, Elizabeth only could decipher a few words, as the Wakandan language was a dialect of South African, which she knew a bit of.

M'Baku shook the hands of T'Challa, stopping the chanting as he approached. "Thank you for standing with us." T'Challa spoke.

"Of course, brother." Steve, Natasha, T'Challa and Elizabeth walked to the barrier, dead looks in their eyes. Cull Obsidian and Proxima Midnight were standing there. At least, that's what the scientists called them after doing tests on the blood found on Wanda and Vision. The more feminine looking one drew her sword across the barrier, smirking lightly.

"Where's your other friend?" Natasha asked, trying to poke at the alien.

"You will pay for his life with yours. Thanos will have that stone."

"No, he won't." Elizabeth spoke, standing equally in between Steve and Natasha.

Proxima Midnight turned to her, a sickening smile on her face, almost taunting. "What? A little doctor is going to kill Thanos?" Elizabeth gulped with fear, how the hell did she know about her being a doctor? "That's right, the Titan does his research."

"Apparently not enough." The woman smirked, looking at Natasha as she recalled her Red Room days. "It's all over the internet. I don't know how you missed it."

Proxima growled at Elizabeth as T'Challa spoke. "You are in Wakanda now. Thanos will have nothing but dust and blood."

"We have blood to spare." The alien spoke, brandishing her sword with a slight growl. The ships raised their outer lines, millions of passengers pouring out non-stop. Elizabeth breathed in and out, she wasn't expecting to have to fight alongside the person who had dealt her months and months of therapy, let alone millions of overpowered aliens. The group of four walked back to the mass of soldiers. Steve met up with Bucky, so Elizabeth kept her distance and stayed beside Natasha, trying to keep out of Bucky's line of sight.

"Did they surrender?" She heard him ask.

"Not exactly." Steve replied. The soldiers began their war cry, watching as Proxima dropped her arm down. The aliens that had come out of the strange aircrafts plummeted towards the barrier, shouting and animalistically growling, chewing and cutting themselves in half at the border. The forest began to set on fire, as well.

"Looks like we pissed her off." Natasha stated.

Elizabeth grasped her gun tighter, her knuckles turning white. "Well, that was our plan." She replied, smirking at her once redheaded best friend. One of the female Wakandan soldiers, Okoye, watched in horror as the aliens tortured themselves in a gross attempt to get into Wakanda.

"They're killing themselves." Okoye stated. Everyone stared as a few aliens managed to squeeze through, one of the tribes took a knee and raised their technology-fueled shields while another placed their spears over their other warrior's shoulders. As T'Challa gave them the sign to attack, Elizabeth grabbed out her gun and loaded it.

"Here." Okoye spoke, handing her another knife. "It is made of vibranium, and has boomerang agencies. It will automatically dislodge itself from the person you throw it to and come straight back to you."

Elizabeth grabbed the knife and held it in her off hand. "Thank you." She said gratefully, the fighting beginning to come towards her.

"Cap, if these things circle the perimeter and get in behind us, there's nothing between them and Vision." Bruce stated, his voice slightly muffled due to the large metal suit.

"Then we better keep 'em in front of us." Steve replied grimly, gritting his teeth. Elizabeth almost didn't recognize him in that moment, his full grown beard and solemn look. He had changed in the last few years, she could tell just by looking at his face.

"How do we do that?" Elizabeth asked, looking at T'Challa for an answer."

"We open the barrier." He replied, placing the comm on his wrist to his mouth. "On my signal, open North-West Section Seventeen."

"This will be the end of Wakanda." M'Baku spoke.

Okoye looked at him. "Then it will be the noblest ending in history." Steve repositioned his shields as T'Challa shouted commands at the tribes, watching as they disengaged their shields. The King of Wakanda walked out in front of them, not breaking eyeline with the enemies.

"Wakanda Forever!" He yelled, crossing his arms in the Wakandan salute. His helmet closed and he charged for the barrier. Elizabeth clicked a button on the side of her head and her suit reached around her head, closing in so she could see out of the iron fabric. She threw the knife that Okoye had given her straight at one of the aliens as the border opened, shooting her gun at a few of them with her other hand. She pressed back to back with Natasha, catching her knife as it came flying back into her palm. What seemed like an eternity passed, Elizabeth's muscles were sore and knotted up, she almost collapsed against Natasha's back a few times. Other than that, the only bad injury she had was a harsh cut on her cheek, blood sputtering down her jaw and mixing with the blue blood of the aliens.

She heard T'Challa and his sister's voice come through her earpiece. "How much longer, Shuri?"

"We've barely begun, brother." She replied, making Elizabeth sigh as she reloaded her gun.

"You might want to pick up the pace." Elizabeth felt Natasha chuckle against her as she watched Captain America and Black Panther still fighting at the border.

Natasha groaned as one of the aliens pinned her down. "A little help would be amazing!" Elizabeth immediately took her knife and slammed it into the alien's chest, pulling it in and out a few times to make sure it would die. It collapsed onto the ground, letting Elizabeth pick her friend up off of the ground.

"You're welcome." She spoke sarcastically, pulling her knife behind her and stabbing an alien in the side. Rhodey flew over the mass of aliens, shooting them until Cull Obsidian's hammer knocked him to the ground, joining Bruce's dogpile of aliens.

"There's too many of them!" He yelled, the rest of his sentence too muffled to hear.

A large beam of rainbow light plummeted into the ground, making Elizabeth and Natasha both turn and shield their eyes. A large axe flew right out of it, the lightning coming from it demolishing the direct line of aliens. It freed the Avengers from their endless fighting. The axe flew back into the beam, being caught by the person in it, Thor. A tree and a raccoon followed him out, his face relished in rage.

"Haha! You guys are so screwed now!" Bruce yelled, now free of the dogpile.

"Bring me Thanos!"


	29. CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT

(2018)

"Thanks for finally showing up, god of Thunder!" Elizabeth yelled sarcastically, wiping her face off with the few seconds of peace she had. Thor looked at the woman in confusion, not fully recognizing her. He had been away in Sakaar for a long time, after all.

"And who are you?" He asked, slamming into the alien's heads using his giant axe.

Elizabeth laughed whilst trying not to get stabbed. "Let's just say I'm an honorary Avenger." Thor nodded, albeit a bit confused at the statement, but nonetheless accepting of the woman who was killing aliens non-stop. Elizabeth turned away from the god, helping out Natasha as she sent her electric rods into the neck of one of the aliens, splattering blue blood all over both of their faces. They just had to pull through until Vision's stone was demolished, the doctor thought optimistically as her leg pounded with exhaustion-caused pain.

"Vision! How're we looking?" She asked through her comms, sending her knife into one of the alien's necks and grasping it back out, letting the foreign creature collapse to the ground. On the other end of the communication software, Wanda's nervous heavy breathing was heard.

"I'm barely even making a dent in the process." Shuri responded, trying to calm down Wanda at the same time.

Natasha groaned in pain as one of the aliens cut into her arm. "Can we go any faster?" She asked, gripping onto Elizabeth's arm and pulling herself up.

"No..." The young girl responded. "At least, not that I know of."

"This would be a great time for Tony to get his ass in here." Natasha remarked.

"Well, he's off trying to defeat Thanos with that spider kid and Stephen, so I don't think he can come to the phone right now." The doctor replied, ripping off a piece of Natasha's sleeve and wrapping it around her bleeding arm as a temporary fix.

"Let's just hope he doesn't bring the fight to us." Natasha spoke, slightly out of breath. Elizabeth nodded, gasping lightly as large motorized spiked wheels broke through the other sides of the barrier, killing anything in it's way to Vision.

"What the hell are those?" Elizabeth asked rhetorically, not expecting a response.

"Those, Doctor Walters, are Threshers." She jumped as her suit spoke to her, but it was strangely soothing to have someone talking to her in the moment. "They are an alien craft that was handmade by the ex-holder of the power stone himself."

"Great." Natasha responded sarcastically, stabbing her electric rod right through one of the alien's heads.

"Fall back!" T'Challa yelled in demand. "Fall back now!" Okoye joined Elizabeth and Natasha in their attempts to get away from the Threshers, but instead they managed to find themselves in the path of one. The three cringed and prepared to face their doom, but no impact was felt. Elizabeth looked up and saw Wanda in the air, using her powers to surround the giant shredders in a red mist and stop them from moving. She threw them to the side and looked behind her, spotting a large mob of aliens. The doctor winced as Wanda threw one of the Threshers into them, letting masses of blue blood fly everywhere.

Okoye watched with an amazed look. "Why was she up there all this time?"

Elizabeth laughed. "You'll get used to it." The four's smiles dropped as they saw Vision hurtling down from the tower.

"Guys, we got a Vision situation here-" Sam's communication was cut off with a groan.

"Somebody get to Vision!" Elizabeth yelled, gulping as she took out another five or six aliens alongside the other three women.

Finally, Bruce responded. "I got him!"

"On my way." Wanda replied, running forward. She was hit down by Proxima Midnight's sword and pushed into a ditch.

The alien woman jumped down next to her, a sickening smile on her face. "He'll die alone. As will you." Elizabeth jumped down first, shortly followed by Natasha and Okoye.

"She's not alone." Natasha spoke, leading Elizabeth to shake her head and twirl her knife and gun in her fingertips.

"She's got us." Okoye brandished her spear and nodded at the other two. Proxima jumped and leapt for both Natasha and Elizabeth with a war cry, only to receive a gunshot to the thigh and an electrical shock to the neck. Okoye jumped from the slope and placed her foot into Elizabeth's hands, which were in a cup, and let her boost her over Proxima, joining the other two to protect Wanda from the front.

"Guys!" Bruce yelled as the four struggled against Proxima. "Vision needs backup now!"

"We're a bit busy, believe it or not!" Elizabeth yelled as another Thresher passed overhead, the ditch protecting them from the blades. Proxima kept hitting them dead-on, and the women made little impact on her strong sword. She kicked Natasha in the face, and before she could grab Okoye, Elizabeth leaped onto her back and sent her knife straight into her neck. It didn't make much impact on the alien, though, as she used her strength to toss Elizabeth against the ditch again. Her vision blurred, but she could see Proxima be thrown into one of the Thresher's by Wanda's telepathy, blue blood spurting all over Natasha.

Elizabeth's vision returned as Natasha spoke. "That was really gross."

"Yeah, it was." The doctor responded, rubbing her sore back. "I'm going to go check on Vision. Stay safe." The other three nodded as the built-in repulsors on Elizabeth's outfit took her to the forest where Vision lay on the ground in exhaustion. Steve was there too, panting heavily.

The doctor helped the android up. "I thought I told you to go." Steve spoke to him, grabbing one of his arms whilst Elizabeth grabbed the other.

"We don't trade lives here, Captain."


	30. CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE

(2018)

Wanda landed down beside Elizabeth, Steve, and Vision as the Wakandan army was led into another chant. Elizabeth sighed deeply, not knowing how she got into the situation. Bucky had approached the group, but stayed his distance from his wife, knowing he would be treading lightly.

"Are you okay?" Wanda asked Vision, watching as he stumbled a bit, flinching in pain.

"Vision? What is it?" Elizabeth asked.

His face turned into one of a grimace, not from pain, but from something else. "He's here." With that, the air around them seemed to grow thicker. It became eerie in the forest, almost like dread had dropped down into the forest. The Wakandan soldiers were barely visible through the mass of trees and dense fog.

The wind picked up a bit as Steve began sending through orders again. "Everyone, on my position. We have incoming." Soon enough, Natasha, Okoye and T'Challa joined them.

"Is this it?" Natasha asked, looking at Elizabeth in fear.

She nodded in response. "This is the fight of our lives." They all watched as black clouds appeared in front of them, a large purple alien stepping out. Elizabeth immediately knew it was the person they were up against, Thanos. He had an eerie glow to him, striking fear in all of the Avengers.

"Eyes up. Stay sharp." Steve spoke, everyone behind him rushing in. Elizabeth could feel the presence of Bucky a ways away, but she tried to ignore the feeling in her gut that something was going to go horribly wrong, telling herself it was because her ex-husband was right there. As they ran, Bruce lunged first, but Thanos used the Space Stone to send him back, buried in the cliff behind him.

"Bruce!" Elizabeth yelled, throwing her knife into the rock and letting it lodge into one of the rocks keeping Bruce locked in. As it dislodged itself and came out, it let a bunch of rocks collapse, Bruce falling to the ground instead of being caught in the cliff. He was still rendered unconscious, nevertheless.

Steve was sent flying into the air, purple sparks and spirals rotating around him. T'Challa leapt high above Thanos, but the alien managed to grab the superhero by the throat and push him down into the ground. Elizabeth attempted to swoop underneath the giant and stab him in the back, but she was grabbed and sent into a nearby tree, she cringed as her back made audible cracking noises. Sam even dried to swoop down into Thanos with his double guns, but his wings quickly turned into rubber, sending him plummeting to the ground. The Avengers were falling one by one, and none of them knew how to fight this battle without losing.

"Wanda." Vision spoke, grasping onto his lover's arms. "It's time."

She shook her head, tears threatening to fall. "No." Elizabeth groaned, getting up from her fall and stumbling over to where the remainder of the unhurt heroes stood.

"You must do it." Wanda's head shook back and forth violently in response, watching as Elizabeth fell to the ground in pain again. "Wanda, please. We are out of time." Vision spoke, breaking up his words in pain. Elizabeth, now on her knees in pain, grimaced. She knew it was the only way to even have the slightest chance against Thanos.

"I can't."

"Yes, you can. You can." He spoke. "If he gets the stone, half of the universe dies."

Elizabeth, finally up again, placed her hand on Wanda's shoulder. The witch turned her head, and Elizabeth saw the pure fear glistening in her eyes. "It'll be okay."

Wanda shook her head. "It's not fair."

"It shouldn't be you, but it is." Vision spoke, letting Wanda's head turn back towards him as Elizabeth's hand fell back down to her side. "It's all right. You could never hurt me. I just... feel you." Wanda extended her violently shaking hand towards the mind stone, letting it beam its energy at Vision's forehead. Elizabeth's ears began to ring, the slight adrenaline relief she was given before was then wearing off slightly. She tried to turn around to fight off Thanos like the others, but fell to the ground as an invisible energy wrapped itself around her ankles. James ran towards the alien, firing his gun, but he was punched away as well. Elizabeth avoided eye contact, tears from the pain and fear mixing themselves together as they poured down her cheeks. The gashes on her arms and legs that were once just small inconveniences, seemed so large that her body was shaking.

She didn't even notice the fear-stricken Bucky crawling over to her, scared to the bone that he would lose you again. "Okay, okay let's get this fixed." Elizabeth could barely hear him, but she noticed how he trembled as he tried to stop the bleeding from her stomach. "Okay- you said to apply pressure, apply pressure..." He mumbled. Even though it was a bittersweet moment between two lovers who hadn't seen each other in years, Elizabeth took it all in. How even in the battle of their lives, Bucky cared about her and for her.

Elizabeth's ears stopped ringing soon enough, letting her hear the war cry of Steve as he grasped onto the gauntlet, preventing Thanos from snapping. After a few quick moments, his bare fist was slammed into Captain America's cheek, making him unable to get up once again. Wanda watched over her shoulder as Thanos approached, no-one left to oppose him as he made his way towards Vision. Thankfully, the witch used her scarlet energy to push him back slightly, but he made headway slowly no matter how much power she had.

"It's alright. It's alright. I love you." Vision spoke, smiling softly in as the stone began to crack. Wanda let out a loud cry, striking pain in Elizabeth. The crystal fragments burst, breaking down into smaller and smaller pieces until they were at a molecular level. Pure yellow energy exploded from him, blinding everyone for a moment as a beam of hope landed in the forest of Wakanda.

Thanos stepped closer to the grief-stricken Wanda. "I understand, my child. Better than anyone."

"You could never." She snarled. He reached down to her, stroking her hair in comfort. Elizabeth clenched her teeth in discomfort, the pain from her wounds surfacing once more. Bucky had torn up a few pieces of his shirt and tied it around her gashes, and it stopped the bleeding, but it still hurt.

"Today, I lost more than you know. But now is no time to mourn." Thanos spoke. "Now... is no time at all." He clenched the gauntlet together, a green glow surrounding his arm. He made a gesture with his hands, a bead of yellow light growing and growing. Elizabeth lost feeling as she seemingly teleported back into the past, half of her wounds still uncovered as Bucky fixed them up again.

"No!" Wanda lunged for Vision as Thanos picked him up by the throat, lifting him up above the floor of the forest. He dug his fingers right into Vision's head, digging out the Mind Stone with no mercy. The android that was once full of life went limp and colourless, turning as gray as the gloomy sky above. Vision was tossed to the side as Thanos dropped the last stone into the gauntlet, sending a huge and violent power surge through his body. His whole torso was filled with a shimmering static, letting him yell out in pain from the electrocution.

As he marveled at his creation, a shock of lightning struck him, dragging him down into the thick, earthy ground. Thor stepped into the picture, flying down from the sky with his eyes stuck onto Thanos. Thor lifted his giant thunder hammer above his head, crushing it deep into Thanos' chest.

"I told you;" He spoke at the killing machine, smirking as he remained taller than the thing across from him. "You'd die for that!"

Elizabeth watched as Thanos cried out in pain once again, accepting Bucky's help as she was pulled up from the ground.

"You should have..." The purple alien spoke, grinning menacingly. "You should have gone for the head!"

And with his final war cry, Thanos snapped.


	31. CHAPTER THIRTY

(2018)

Elizabeth was teleported into a strange world, red surrounding her everywhere. Nothing was seen for miles, it never ended.

"My daughter." She turned around, facing her mother.

"M-mom?" She gasped, her breath beginning to catch in her throat.

The woman nodded, holding tightly to her daughter's hands. "There was only one way to win that fight, my love."

"R-Really?" Elizabeth asked, voice cracking as tears fell down her face.

"Yes." Her mother spoke.

"And-and did we win?"

"That's for you to find out."


	32. CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE

(2018)

"No!" Thor yelled in agony. Elizabeth fell back onto Bucky, gripping onto his arm. The pit in her stomach grew deeper and deeper as Thanos teleported away with the Space Stone, leaving the axe that was once lodged into his chest behind on the ground.

"Where'd he go?" Steve asked, looking deep into Thor's eyes. "Where'd he go?"

"Elizabeth? Steve?" Bucky asked, Elizabeth almost falling to the ground as his arm turned into dust. She dropped to the ground purposefully, feeling the dust that was once James Barnes against her fingers. Steve sat down beside her, seemingly in shock as well.

"He-he can't leave me again... Not again..." Elizabeth muttered, eyes reds and puffy with tears. Steve hid his sadness quite well, but the woman next to him knew that he had been through it before. But this time was different.

Thor, Rhodey, Bruce, and Rocket stood alongside them, mourning the loss of their friends.

"What is this? What the hell is happening?" Rhodey asked, too blinded by the recent deaths for anything to click.

"Oh, god."


	33. CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO

(2018)

Elizabeth ran into her old home, yelling out Marilyn and Daisy's name. She knew they had to be okay, fate wouldn't be cruel enough to kill the closest people to her. Steve had driven her out to the cottage, and for that Elizabeth was grateful. Her muscles were still sore and her wounds were still fresh, but she needed to know that her daughter and best friend were okay. She turned the corner into her daughter's room and looked at her small bed, her breath catching in her throat as she noticed the small dust pile laying on it.

"No, no no no no-" The pit in Elizabeth's stomach dropped deeper and deeper. It felt like it was scratching at her throat from the inside. "Marilyn?" She yelled again, looking desperately around the house, finding a shattered picture frame on the ground, sitting next to another pile of dust. Elizabeth then wept harder than she ever had before. Even when Bucky had left, even when he had turned to dust, she knew her daughter and best friend would always have her back in moments like those. But then, she didn't. After a few moments of dead silence passed, Elizabeth knew that Steve would be waiting for her to say goodbye, so she walked out of the small cottage, the pit in her stomach still lingering, growing harsher and harsher every second.

Steve sat in his car, window rolled down. "Everything okay?" He asked, seeing the horrid look on his friend's face.

"They're dead." More tears fell down Elizabeth's face, she didn't even bother to wipe them away. Steve stepped out of his car and pulled her into a tight hug, feeling her soak tears into his jacket. The emotional wounds were still fresh, but everyone knew they'd scar.

"It'll be okay." Steve reassured, pulling away. Elizabeth nodded, wiping her tears with her sleeve. She hadn't even had the chance to change out of her suit yet. Steve sat back in his car, leaning his arm out the side of the window, looking at his friend. "What are you going to do?"

"I'll probably just stay here..." Elizabeth answered, still unsure of where she was going to go.

"Stay with us." He spoke, his eyes softening.

The doctor's head shook violently. "No- I can't ask that of you."

"That's why I'm asking you." Steve responded. "Most of us are staying in the compound. We still have no word from Tony, though." Elizabeth took a deep breath, brushing her shaky hands through her hair. She knew that most of the things that had happened in the last few days hadn't hit her yet, but it would soon.

"Are you sure?"

Steve nodded. "One hundred percent."

Elizabeth hesitated for a moment. "Okay."

**♦♢♦**

Elizabeth stood in the bathroom of the Avengers compound, looking up and down at her reflection. Bruce had helped her out, and her back had new problems due to the fight, but overall, she felt better physically. Emotionally? That's a different story. She stepped out of the washroom and watched as tremors grew in the ground. Steve stepped out of one of the nearby rooms, freshly shaved. Steve, Natasha, Bruce, Elizabeth and Rhodey walked out of the compound, only to find a ship landing on the ground. Tony and a strange blue robot walked out. The fact that Tony was still alive calmed Elizabeth down a bit. She ran to him, helping him up and walking.

"Couldn't stop him." He muttered, Steve now joining the effort in helping him walk to the compound.

"Neither could we..." Elizabeth trailed off, remembering the moment they knew the failure was inevitable.

"I lost the kid." As he spoke, she remembered the spider kid who was fighting alongside them during the battle.

"Tony, we lost." Steve reassured, making sure he knew that it wasn't his fault.

"Is, uh...?" Tony asked, not finding the right words.

Elizabeth watched as Pepper rushed out of the compound, a terrified look on her face. "Oh my god! Oh my god!" She pulled Tony into a tight embrace, letting Elizabeth and Steve back up a bit. They walked back into the compound in silence, not really able to find the right words. As they walked, Elizabeth found herself standing next to the blue robot-alien person.

"Was he doing okay?" She asked, catching the attention of the person next to her.

"Going insane, but he was doing better than I thought he would." Her robotic voice was strangely soothing.

"Elizabeth." She spoke, holding out her hand for the robot to shake.

"Nebula." The two walked into the building, sitting down at one of the tables. They hooked up Tony to an IV as the raccoon and Nebula sat down together, obviously quite close as they mourned together. A big holographic screen reported the list of all the people lost to the snap.

Rhodey broke the silence. "It's been twenty-three days since Thanos came to Earth."

"World governments are in pieces." Natasha replied. "The parts that are still working are trying to take a census."

"It looks like he did exactly what he was going to do. Thanos wiped out fifty percent of all living creatures." Elizabeth spoke, her breath catching in her throat as Marilyn and Stephen popped onto the screen. It truly seemed like everyone she was close to had been killed by the incident.

"Where is he now?" Tony asked in regards to Thanos.

"We don't know." Steve answered.

Elizabeth finished his sentence. "He used the Tesseract's stone to open a portal and he just- he just walked right through." After a few more moments, Tony finally noticed Thor on the other side of the room. He sat on a bench, sulking sadly as his eyes showed the whole story of his thinking.

"What's wrong with him?" Tony asked.

"Oh, he's pissed. He thinks he failed." The raccoon answered. "Which of course he did."

"Dude!" Elizabeth yelled, a scolding look on her face. The animal didn't respond, instead opting to roll his eyes.

"Honestly, until this exact second, I thought you were a Build-A-Bear." Tony admitted, pointing at the raccoon.

"Maybe I am." After he spoke, a few beats of silence passed.

Steve spoke up. "We've been hunting Thanos for three weeks now." He said. "Deep space scans, and satellites, but we got nothing."

"Tony, you fought him." Elizabeth stated, making everyone turn their heads towards the man at the head of the table.

"Who told you that?" He asked, surprised. "I didn't fight him. No, he wiped my face with a planet while the Bleecker Street Magician gave away the store. That's what happened. There was no fight." He explained dejectedly. "He's unbeatable."

"Did he give you any clues?" Elizabeth asked in response, not really knowing any other way to continue the conversation.

Tony scoffed. "I saw this coming a few years back. I had a vision. I didn't wanna believe it. I thought I was dreaming, Elizabeth." He looked her dead in the eyes.

"We need to focus here." Steve spoke up, eyes clouded with grief.

"And I needed you. As in past tense. That trumps what you need." Tony seethed. "It's too late buddy. Sorry. You know what I need?" He stood up, pushing things off of the table, making everyone grimace and wince at the loud noises. "I need to shave. And I believe I remember telling you-" His sentence cut off as he lunged for Steve. Rhodey and Elizabeth held him back, the latter grimacing as her muscles tensed in soreness.

"Tony!" Elizabeth and Rhodey yelled, peeling him off of Steve.

"What we needed was a suit of armor around the world! Remember that? Whether it impacted our precious freedoms or not- that's what we needed!"

"Well, that didn't work out, did it?" Steve retorted, raising his voice.

"I said 'we'd lose'. You said, 'we'll do that together too.' and guess what, Cap? We lost." Tony yelled, making wild hand gestures. "And you weren't there. But that's what we do, right? Our best work after the fact? We're the Avengers, we're the Avengers. Not the Prevengers."

Elizabeth spoke up. "You made your point, now sit down."

"Okay..." Tony replied, only to stand back up again. "No, no. Here's my point. You know what-?"

"You're sick." Rhodey stated as Elizabeth helped Tony sit down.

"She's great, by the way." Tony pointed at the blonde on the other side of the room. Elizabeth hadn't even noticed her until she was pointed out.

"Sit down. Sit." Rhodey demanded.

Tony didn't take any word of advice, instead, he chose to continue fighting. "We need you. You're new blood. Bunch of tired old mules!" He walked up to Steve, pushing down his voice into a venom-filled whisper. "I got nothing for you, Cap! I have no coordinates, no clues, no strategies, no options. Zero. Zip. Nada. No trust." The final word made Steve's blood boil. "Liar." The two old friends glared at each other as Tony ripped his suit reactor off of his chest and placed it harshly into Steve's hand. "Here, take this. You find him, and you put that on. You hide." With that, Tony collapsed to the ground. Elizabeth immediately grasped his arm and tried to help him up.

"Tony!" Steve gasped.

"I'm fine...I-" Elizabeth handed him to Rhodey as he slipped out of consciousness. He carried him to one of the beds and left him with Pepper and Bruce.

"Bruce gave him a sedative. He's probably going to be out for the rest of the day." Rhodey explained.

"You guys take care of him, and I'll bring him a Xorrian Elixir when I come back." The blonde offered, confusing Elizabeth even more as she walked away.

"And where are you going?" Natasha asked, folding her arms.

Carol didn't even turn to reply. "To kill Thanos." Steve, Nat and Elizabeth shared a look before walking after her.

"You know lady, we usually work as a team here." Elizabeth explained. "Between you and me, morale is a little fragile right now."

"We realize up there-" Steve said, gesturing to space. "Is more your territory, but this is our fight too."

Rhodey looked at her, finally catching up with the group. "Do you even know where he is?"

"I know people who might." She answered.

"Okay, before we continue, who even are you?" Elizabeth asked, catching the blonde's undivided attention.

"Carol Danvers." She answered shortly. "And you even are you?" She mocked.

Elizabeth rolled her eyes. "Elizabeth Walters. Pleasure." She said snarkily, not enjoying the attitude Carol was giving her.

Nebula approached the group, standing behind Carol. "Don't bother. I can tell you where Thanos is. He spent a long time trying to perfect me. When he worked, he talked about his great plan." Everyone turned their attention to the daughter of Thanos. "Even disassembled, I wanted to please him. So, I'd ask where we would go once his plan was complete. His answer was always the same; 'to the garden'."

"That's cute, Thanos has a retirement plan." Rhodey teased.

"So where is he?" Steve asked, not wanting to discuss what Thanos had planned, only what he was doing then.

"When Thanos snapped his fingers, Earth became ground zero for a power surge of ridiculously cosmic proportions." The raccoon answered. "No-one's ever seen anything like it. That is, until two days ago." The hologram showed a planet pop-up, showing a shockwave affecting the surface. "On this planet."

"Thanos is there." Nebula stated, letting everyone's eyes widen.

"He must have used the stones again." Elizabeth sighed, eyebrows furrowing.

Bruce stepped out of Tony's resting room and joined the conversation. "We'd be going in short-handed, you know."

"He's still got the stones." Rhodey added, a big piece in the plan they were forming.

"So let's get him." Carol stated. "Use the stones to bring everyone back."

"Just like that?" Elizabeth asked, staring at her with a confused look on her face.

Steve removed his hand from his chin. "Yeah. Just like that."

"Okay, even if there is a small chance that we can undo this. We owe it to everyone who's not in this room to try." Natasha spoke, making Elizabeth think of what Marilyn would want her to do. She was doing this for her daughter, for her best friend, for her husband, who had helped her, even when they hadn't spoken in years.

"If we do this, how do we know it's gonna end any differently than it did before?" Bruce asked, making a fair point.

"Because before, you didn't have me." Carol spoke, not meaning to sound cocky.

"Look, Ms. Danvers." Elizabeth stated, looking her dead in the eyes. "Everyone here worked our asses off to fight Thanos. So don't go pulling the whole 'I'm stronger than all of you' card, because we've lost a hell of a lot, but we fought hard." Silence followed her statement. Thor stood up and stood in front of Carol, holding his hand up and letting his large axe fly into his hand, merely missing Carol's head. She didn't even flinch, but she instead smiled at the god of thunder standing in front of her.

Thor smiled. "I like this one."

Steve sighed, pressing his hands against the table and looking up.

"Let's go get this son of a bitch."


	34. CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE

(2018)

Elizabeth, Natasha, Steve, Bruce, Nebula, Rhodey, Carol, and the raccoon all sat in the spaceship that Tony had arrived in, circling around Earth's atmosphere. Tony was absent, as Pepper insisted on him staying at the compound due to his health decrease over the last twenty-three days.

"Okay, who here hasn't been to space?" The raccoon asked. Nat, Steve, Rhodey and Elizabeth raised their hands.

Carol laughed. "Why?" Rhodey asked in response to his question.

"You better not throw up on my ship." Elizabeth silently hoped that it wouldn't be as bad as she anticipated. Nebula counted down and as the ship blasted forward, everyone held on for dear life. Elizabeth felt like she was going to puke at any moment, but she hadn't really eaten since the incident, so she had nothing to throw up, anyway. They finally went out of hyperdrive and they circled around the orbit of Thanos' planet. Carol flew in front of the ship's windshield, her whole body illuminated with yellow-gold flames.

"I'll head down for recon." She spoke, flying down into the planet, turning into a small dot. The Avengers unbuckled their seatbelts and got up, preparing for what was going to happen. Natasha went to go talk to Bruce, and Elizabeth walked over to Steve, noticing the worried look on his face.

"This is going to work, Steve." She reassured, trying to find comfort in her suit.

"I know it will." He replied, opening up his compass. Elizabeth saw Peggy's face, remembering the time he had shown her the most important thing to him, and it was the compass. "Because I don't know what I'm going to do if it doesn't work." They watched as Carol approached one of the windows.

"No satellites, no ships, no armies, no ground defenses of any kind. It's just him." She said, catching Nebula's attention.

The robot walked over. "And that's enough." They stumbled a bit as the ship landed, the door opening to a lush land full of green grass and large flowers. It was mainly empty, so it was quite easy to spot Thanos' cottage near where they landed.

"It's now or never." Natasha stated, walking down the ramp and looking towards Elizabeth. "Are you going to be okay?"

Elizabeth nodded, sighing deeply. "This is the end. We can get them back." Natasha nodded in response and watched as Carol flew in through the roof, tackling Thanos down. Bruce flew in with his Hulkbuster armor, pinning the alien's arm to the ground. Elizabeth could barely see through the door frame, but she saw that the gauntlet had merged itself into Thanos' arm. Thor flew in a bit later, slicing off Thanos' arm. Steve, Natasha, and Elizabeth walked into the house at the same time as Rhodey and the raccoon came in, aiming their guns at Thanos' head.

The raccoon pushed over the gauntlet, a fearful look dawning on his face. "Oh no." Elizabeth glanced down at it, the horrid pit in her stomach turning from despair to violent anger. No infinity stones sat in the gauntlet. It felt like Elizabeth had steam coming out of her ears.

"Where are they?" She seethed, glaring at Thanos.

"Answer the question!" Carol yelled.

"The universe required correction." He explained. "After that, the stones served no purpose beyond temptation."

"You murdered trillions!" Bruce yelled, pushing Thanos further into the foundation of the cottage.

Elizabeth's eyes blurred a bit, the realization of never getting Marilyn, Daisy, or Stephen back finally hitting her as Thanos spoke again. "You should be grateful." Bruce punched him, dealing more damage to the side of his face that was burnt off by the gauntlet.

"Where are the stones?" Natasha asked, demand lacing her tone.

"Gone. Reduced to atoms." Thanos replied, smirking ever so slightly.

"You used them two days ago!" Bruce yelled.

Thanos scoffed. "I used the stones to destroy the stones." Elizabeth's breath caught in her throat. "It nearly killed me. But the work is done. It always will be." Thanos sat up straighter, regaining a bit of feeling in his upper arm from the cutoff zone. "I am inevitable."

"He-He has to be lying." Elizabeth stammered, hyperventilating. "P-Please, we need to search the place."

Steve put his hand on her shoulder, making sure she was okay until they got back to the ship as Nebula spoke. "My father is many things. A liar is not one of them." She stated. In that moment in time, her robotic voice didn't soothe Elizabeth at all. It was irrational, but all she wanted to do was lunge at Thanos, avenge her daughter and husband.

"Ah, thank you daughter." Elizabeth could see the uncomfortable look that Nebula had on her face. "Perhaps I treated you too harshly." Thanos spoke. Before he could get another word out, and before anyone could stop him, Thor raised his axe and slammed it against Thanos' throat, slicing his head off. Dark blue blood splattered across Elizabeth's face, and she wiped it off of her eyelids as Thanos' limp body fell to the ground in a heap.

"What did you do?" The raccoon asked.

Thor's actions dawned on him in that moment, his face contorting into one of brokenness. "I went for the head." Elizabeth looked at him in pain as he walked out of the cottage.

This was the end.


	35. CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR

(2023)

Steve noticed how Elizabeth's leg was bouncing up and down. He had been running a therapy group for after the snap, and it was Elizabeth's first time going. She was scared, albeit, but she knew that it was Steve, and she knew Steve, she'd be okay. There were a few other people in the circle, a man named Joe and another named Jim, but Elizabeth's nerves kept her from remembering the other's names.

"So I, uh..." Joe started. "Went on a date the other day. It's the first time in five years, you know?" Five years. It had been five years since the snap. To everyone, it just felt like a blur. "I'm sitting there at dinner... I didn't even know what to talk about."

"What did you talk about?" Steve asked, trying to coax a conversation.

"Same old crap, you know?" Joe answered. "How things have changed, and my job, his job, how much we miss the Mets." He laughed a bit and paused. "And then things get quiet... He cried as they were serving the salads." Elizabeth thought back to her first outing after the snap with Natasha, she cried in the bathroom stall and jumped out the window.

"What about you?" Jim asked Joe.

"I cried just before dessert." He admitted. "But I'm seeing him again tomorrow."

A smile spread across Steve's face. "That's great. You did the hardest part. You took the jump, you didn't know where you were going to come down." Steve spoke, turning his head towards Elizabeth expectedly. Her hands sweat, and her knees felt like they were going to buckle, even though she was sitting down in a chair.

"I-um..." She stammered, rubbing her palms together. "I lost my kid and my husband to the snap. I blamed myself for years, never went outside, just stayed in my room all day everyday. Barely ate." She revealed, rubbing her wrists in a desperate attempt to calm her nerves. "But, I've been making a deal with myself to go out at least twice a week. And so far I haven't broken it."

"That's really good, Elizabeth." Steve smiled. "You're moving, and that's what matters. We need to learn to deal with these things, even if it means pushing it down and never thinking about it." He reassured. "You gotta move on. The world is in our hands. It's left to us guys, and we got to do something with it. Otherwise, Thanos should have killed all of us." The three nodded, plugging their ears as Steve's obnoxiously loud phone alarm went off. He still didn't know how to change the ringer volume.

"Have a nice day, everyone." Joe said, waving as he walked away alongside Jim, chatting with each other.

Steve glanced at Elizabeth, helping her put away the chairs. "Thanks for agreeing to come. I think this can help, really."

"I know..." She nodded. "I went to a therapist shortly after the whole Avengers breakup, and it helped, but this time is just- it's just so much different."

"Yeah. We just need to try and stick together and help each other out." Steve agreed, stacking the last chair and walking out of what once was a cafe.

Elizabeth breathed in the fresh air, leaning her head back a bit. "God, I can't wait to get back to the compound."

"Here." Steve threw her the keys to his car, getting in the passenger seat.

"Really? You never let me drive this bad boy!" Elizabeth exclaimed, giddly taking her place in the driver's seat.

"Well, there's a first time for everything." He smiled. The drive back to the Avengers HQ was quite exhausting, so Elizabeth headed straight for her office, sitting down in her chair. A hologram opened up in front of her, showing Carol, Natasha, Rocket, Nebula, Rhodey and Okoye.

"Yeah, we boarded that highly suspect warship Danvers pinged." Rocket stated, standing shorter than all the others.

"It was an infectious garbage scowl." Nebula rolled her eyes.

"So thanks for the hot tip." Rocket glared at Carol as Natasha took notice of Elizabeth's arrival to the group.

"Any new news?" She asked, tapping her pen against her hand.

Elizabeth shook her head. "Nothing of importance just yet." She answered.

Natasha turned to Okoye. "What about you? Any readings on those tremors?"

"It was a mild subduction under the African plate." She replied, the spark in her eyes that Elizabeth had seen all those years ago was gone.

"Do we have a visual?" Nat asked. "How are we handling it?"

"It's an earthquake under the ocean." Okoye stated. "We handle it by not handling it."

A few moments of silence passed, and Elizabeth decided to ask the next question. "Carol, what's your plan for the next month? Are we going to see you here?"

Carol shook her head. "Not likely."

Rocket scoffed in response. "What, you going to get another haircut?" Carol looked down at him, fairly irritated.

"Listen fur-face, I'm covering a lot of territory." She spat, trying to keep her cool. "The things that are happening on Earth, are happening everywhere, on thousands of planets." Carol stated, making a very good cause. Elizabeth sighed, opening up her laptop and scanning for anything unusual off of the internet news.

"All right, all right." Rocket murmured. "That's a good point. That's a good point." He repeated, defeated.

"You might not see me for a long time." Carol revealed, catching Elizabeth's attention.

"This channel is always open." Elizabeth responded, turning the attention towards her. "Anything goes sideways, you go to Natasha or me."

Okoye nodded alongside Carol. "Okay." Rocket responded.

"Alright." Nat agreed, brushing her fingers through her now red hair. One by one, the calls cut off.

"Good luck." Carol spoke to Rhodey before logging off.

"Where are you?" Natasha asked him, realizing he was still in the call.

"Mexico." He answered, startling Elizabeth. "The Federales found a room full of bodies. Looks like a bunch of cartel guys." He continued. "Never even had the chance to get their guns off." Rhodey looked down, frowning a bit. There was someone killing people all over the world, but nobody was paying them to do it, so they had no ties.

Elizabeth spoke, trying to get words into the conversation. "It's probably a rival gang."

"Except it isn't." It clicked in Elizabeth and Natasha's brain in that moment. "It's definitely Barton. What he's done here, what he's been doing for the last few years... I mean, the scene that he left..." Elizabeth could see the gradual tears forming in Nat's eyes. "I gotta tell you, there's a part of me that doesn't even want to find him."

Natasha sadly took a bite of her sandwich. "Will you find out where he's going next?"

"Nat...."

"Please." Elizabeth begged. She wanted to see her best friend happy again.

Rhodey sighed. "Okay." He spoke reluctantly, cutting off his screen.

"We'll find him." Elizabeth reassured Natasha, smiling softly.

Natasha continued to look down at her desk. "I hope you're right." Elizabeth disconnected herself and continued to work on finding irregularities, trying to avoid anything that reminded her of Stephen, Marilyn or Bucky. Carol appeared on Elizabeth's private hologram call, startling the doctor.

"Hey." She spoke softly. "Are you doing okay?"

Elizabeth's dam broke a bit as she let a tear fall down her face. "No..."

"Do you want to talk about it?" She almost shook her head to say no, but she realized she should talk to someone who she was close to.

"It's been five years." Elizabeth stated. "Five years. I should be over it, shouldn't I?" She turned her head up from looking at her lap to match eyes with Carol.

"No. Of course you shouldn't be over it." She responded. "You lost your husband, your kid, your two best friends. You're never going to get over it, and nobody is expecting you to get over it, anyway." She reassured, watching as more tears fell from Elizabeth's eyes.

"But look! I can't even help Okoye with big issues. The best thing I've done in the last five years was help set up the memorial."

Carol shook her head. "You helped people have a way to find their people after the snap." He responded. "You helped them gain resources. That impacted more than you know." Elizabeth stared at her lap, trying not to sob verbally. "Who knows, maybe someone will use that memorial to find us."

"Maybe..." She trailed off, a little hope in her mind. Elizabeth wiped away her tears and looked at Carol. "Thanks."

"Anytime." Suddenly, a hologram of camera footage popped up in front of them, showing a random man on the screen.

"Oh! Hi. Hi! Is anyone home?" He asked. "This is Scott Lang. We met a few years ago, at the airport? In Germany? I got really big, and I had my mask on. You wouldn't recognize me."

"Ant-Man." Elizabeth breathed, standing up abruptly and walking to the door of her office.

"Ant-Man?" Carol questioned. She nodded in response. "I still need to get caught up on the whole Avengers thing."

Scott began talking again. "Ant-Man? Ant-Man, I know you know that. I need to talk to you guys."


	36. CHAPTER THIRTY-FIVE

(2023)

Elizabeth had her head in her hands, confused at the whole situation. Scott was supposed to be snapped, dead, non-existent. How could he have come back? The man of the hour paced back in forth worriedly in front of Steve, Natasha and the doctor-superhero herself.

"Scott. Are you okay?" She asked, catching the man's attention.

"Yeah. I'm fine." He answered, seemingly lost in thought of what to say. "Have you ever studied Quantum Physics?"

"Only to make conversation." Natasha answered, pressing her finger against her chin.

"Alright..." Scott spoke, getting ready to explain why he disappeared. "So five years ago, right before Thanos, I was in a place called the Quantum Realm." He revealed. "The Quantum Realm is like its own microscopic universe. To get in there, you have to be incredibly small." Elizabeth nodded, trying to take mental notes in her head. "Hope, she's my- she was my- she was supposed to pull me out. And then Thanos happened, and I got stuck in there."

"I'm sorry." Natasha spoke, a sad look on her face.

Elizabeth frowned as well. "It must've been a long five years, Scott."

"Yeah, but that's just it. It wasn't. For me, it was five hours." The three others shared a look, bewildered. "See, the rules of the Quantum Realm aren't like they are up here. Everything is unpredictable." Scott paused, looking at Natasha's desk. "Is that anybody's sandwich? I'm starving."

Scott walked over to the desk and took a bite of the food as Steve watched. "Scott, what are you talking about?"

"What I'm saying is, time works differently in the Quantum Realm." He began to piece together a plan. "The only problem is right now, we don't have a way to navigate it. But what if we did? I can't stop thinking about it. What if, we could somehow control the chaos, and we could navigate it? What if there was a way to enter the Quantum Realm at a certain point in time but then exit at another point in time? Like... Like before Thanos." Elizabeth stood in shock, trying to process the fact she could get her kid back.

"So, you're talking about a time machine?" She asked, breaking the silence.

Scott shook his head. "No. No, of course not. No, not a time machine. It's more like a-" He paused. "Yeah, a time machine. I know it's crazy. But I can't stop thinking about it. There's gotta be some way... There's gotta be...some w- it's crazy." He exclaimed.

"Scott. I get emails from a raccoon." Natasha stated. "Nothing sounds crazy anymore."

A few moments of silence passed. "So who do we talk to about this?"

Elizabeth looked up. "I know."

**♦♢♦**

"Now, I know what it sounds like..." Scott spoke, having explained his whole plan to Tony.

"After everything you've seen- after everything we've seen- is anything really impossible?" Elizabeth asked.

"Quantum fluctuation messes with the Planck Scale, which then triggers the Deutsch Proposition. Can we agree on that?" Tony asked, puzzling the rest of the group. He set down a few drinks for each of his friends, receiving thanks from everyone. "In Layman's terms, it means you're not coming home."

"I did." Scott responded.

"No, you accidentally survived." Tony countered. "It's a billion to one cosmic fluke. And now you want to pull off a- what did you call it?"

"A time heist."

Tony rolled his eyes. "Yeah, a time heist. Of course, why didn't we think of this before?" He asked sarcastically. "Oh, because it's laughable? Because it's a pipedream?"

"The Stones are in the past. We can go back and get them." Scott replied, trying to justify his plan.

"We can snap our own fingers." Natasha stated. "We can bring everyone back."

"Or screw it up worse than he already has, right?" Tony countered.

"I don't believe we would." Steve replied.

Elizabeth stayed silent as they talked, thinking of the possibility of Bucky and Daisy coming back. "Gotta say, sometimes I miss that giddy optimism." Tony said. "However, high hopes won't help if there's no logical, tangible way for me to safely execute said time heist. I believe the most likely outcome would be our collective demise."

"Not if we strictly follow the rules of time travel." Scott justified. "That means no talking to our past selves, no betting on sporting events-"

"I'm gonna stop you right there, Scott." Tony interrupted. "Are you seriously telling me that your plan to save the universe is based on Back To The Future?"

Scott's face turned red in embarrassment. "No."

"Good. You had me worried there. 'Cause that'd be horse shit. That's not how quantum physics works." Tony stated.

"We have to take a stand." Elizabeth spoke up, turning the billionaire's attention towards his old friend.

"We did stand. And yet, here we are." He responded.

"I know you got a lot on the line. You got a wife, a daughter. But I lost someone very important to me. A lot of people did." He spoke desperately. "And now, now we have a chance to bring her back. To bring everyone back. And you're telling me that won't even-"

"That's right, Scott. I won't even. I got a kid." He interrupted. Almost right on cue, Morgan came running up, hugging onto Elizabeth's legs until she picked her up. Usually, when Tony and Pepper had to go out of town, they entrusted Elizabeth to babysit.

"Hi Auntie Liz!" She smiled, making the woman laugh.

"How's my favourite niece?"

"Really good!" She yelled. "Mommy told me to come and save you." Morgan said, facing her dad with a goofy grin on her face.

"Good job. I'm saved." He smiled, turning to the group of superheroes. ""I wish you'd come here to ask me something else. Anything else." Tony took a shaky sigh. "Honestly, I-I missed you guys, it was-" He cut himself off. "Oh, and the table's set for six."

"Tony, I get it. And I'm happy for you, I really am. But this is a second chance." Steve spoke as Elizabeth handed Morgan back to Tony.

"I got my second chance right here." He replied. "I can't roll the dice again. If you don't talk shop, you can stay for lunch." With that, Tony retreated with Morgan back into his house, leaving the other four outside on his porch. The doctor watched as her friends began walking to the car.

"Wait for me, please. I'll only be a few moments." Steve nodded as he got into the passenger seat. Elizabeth walked in the house and approached her friend.

"I'm not doing it-"

"Please just- remember I had a kid too." She spoke, trying not to guilt-trip Tony. "Before you use Morgan as an excuse to not try this just- please remember I fought hard for my kid's freedom. I signed the goddamn Sokovia Accords for her. Please. Promise me you'll at least try. Morgan deserves to meet Daisy. They'd make the best of friends."

Tony took it all in, putting one of the dirty plates back in the sink. "I'll try."

"Thank you." Elizabeth nodded and left the beautiful home, sitting in the driver's seat of the black Audi.

"So, what are we gonna do? We need him. What, are we going to stop?" Scott asked, brainstorming.

"No, I want to do it right." Steve replied. "We're going to need a really big brain."

Scott pointed to Tony's house in shock. "What? Bigger than his?"

Elizabeth could almost see the light bulb appear over Steve's head. "Yeah. Bigger than his."


	37. CHAPTER THIRTY-SIX

(2023)

"Come on, I feel like I'm the only one eating." The new Smart Hulk spoke, pushing a plate of food forward. None of the Avengers really ate full meals anymore, but Bruce didn't know that. "Try some of that. Have some eggs." Elizabeth folded her arms, trying to secure herself in some sense. She sat next to Scott in an old diner, Steve and Nat sitting across from the two, and Bruce- now in half-hulk form, sat at the end of the table. Apparently, Smart-Hulk had been a worldwide success, but Elizabeth hadn't been on the internet that much since the snap.

"Look, Bruce, we have a chance to get the stones back and reverse what happened." Natasha explained, watching as Bruce dropped his fork onto his plate, creating a large crashing noise for all of the restaurant to hear. He picked it back up quickly and apologized, trying to escape from the questioning stares.

"What?" He asked.

Elizabeth sighed. "Scott's been stuck in the Quantum Realm for five years, notice how his name's on the memorial?" Bruce nodded. "And look, he's sitting here right now. Time moves differently in the Quantum Realm, and we can use that to our advantage somehow. I'm sure of it."

"And how do you suppose this could work if we figured it out?" The smart Hulk asked.

"If we can manipulate the time in the Quantum Realm to change the time in our real world, we could theoretically go back in time, grab the stones before Thanos does, bring them back, and snap again."

The doctor sat up straighter in her chair, cracking her back. "In these last five years, we've learnt more about the stones then we ever would have if Thanos never did anything." Elizabeth stated. "We know that if someone that holds almost equal power to Thanos strength-wise snaps with the gauntlet again, we can bring everyone back."

"We know that if any mortal or anyone perfectly human snaps using the gauntlet, they'll die." Steve responded. "We need your help to get this to work."

"And Tony? You could've gone to him!" Bruce exclaimed, shoving down food into his mouth as he spoke.

"We already went to him." Steve answered. "He has a kid now. He declined."

After a few moments of pondering silence, someone finally spoke up again. "I'm so confused." Scott admitted.

Bruce nodded. "These are confusing times."

"Right." Scott responded before shaking his head. "No, no, that's not what I meant."

"No, I get it. I'm kidding!" Bruce laughed. "I know. It's crazy. I'm wearing shirts now."

"How? And why?" Elizabeth asked. "A few years ago you hated the Hulk."

"Well, that's just it. For years, I've treated the Hulk like he's some kind of disease, something to get rid of. But then I started looking at him as the cure." He enlightened the group. "Eighteen months in a gamma lab. I put the brains and the brawn together. And now look at me!" Bruce exclaimed, making wild hand gestures. "Best of both worlds." As he finished his explanation, three kids came up behind him, shy and a bit tentative.

"Excuse me, Mr. Hulk?" The girl asked, holding a phone in her hands.

Bruce smiled kindly. "Yes?"

"Can we get a photo?"

"One hundred percent, little person." He beamed. "Come on, step up." Bruce held out the kid's phone towards Scott. "You mind?"

"Oh, yeah." He responded, a little disappointed as he took the phone.

"Thanks." Bruce turned to the kids. "Say 'green'!"

"Green!" They yelled, smiling as the camera flash went off. "Did you get that?" Bruce asked Scott as he handed back the phone.

"Don't you want to grab one with me?" He asked, making Elizabeth internally cringe. She knew the superhero was awkward, but she wasn't expecting that much awkwardness. "I'm Ant-Man." The kids looked at him, feeling sorry that they didn't know who he was.

"Scott- they don't know who you are. You've been in the Quantum realm for five years." Elizabeth stated, trying not to embarrass Scott.

Bruce looked at one of the kids. "Wait, no, no, he feels bad." He tried to fix the situation. "No, he wants you to, he wants to! You want to take a picture with him, right?" Bruce asked the little boy, only to get a vigorous head shaking in return.

"Stranger danger."

"He's even saying no he doesn't!" Scott yelled, a little bit too loudly. "I get it. I don't want it either."

"But, come on, the kid!"

"I don't want a picture with them."

"He's gonna feel bad." Bruce said to the kids, trying to guilt trip them into taking a photo, but they didn't budge. Elizabeth placed her head in her hands, trying to block out the embarrassment of witnessing the situation at hand as Bruce turned back to Scott. "Sorry. They said they'd do it."

"I don't want it anymore." Scott stubbornly replied, holding the phone out for Bruce to take again.

"No, no... you feel bad." Bruce tried to push him, but it didn't work.

Scott finally snapped. "Just take the goddamn phone." Everyone in the café cringed as his loud voice carried across the room. Scott handed back the phone and the kids said goodbye to Hulk, dabbing on their way out. Elizabeth looked ta her phone from under the table, scrolling through her Instagram page, suddenly being filled with Hulk fan pages and stan accounts.

"Bruce." Steve stated, gaining the man's attention. "About what we were saying earlier..."

"Right. The whole time travel do-over?" Everyone nodded. "Guys, this is outside my area of expertise."

Elizabeth spoke up, not wanting to stay silent anymore. "I seem to remember when battling the Hulk was impossible, too."

Bruce sighed, finishing his plate of food. "I hope you're right."


	38. CHAPTER THIRTY-SEVEN

(2023)

"Okay, here we go." Bruce spoke. Everyone stood in the Avengers compound, the Quantum Tunnel sitting in the center of the garage. Scott stood in front of the Quantum Tunnel that was placed inside of a van. Natasha, Steve, and Elizabeth stood beside the Smart-Hulk, watching as he flipped different switches in preparation. "Time travel test number one. Scott, fire up the uh- the van thing."

The portal opened ceremoniously, making Elizabeth's eyes widen. She was a doctor, and let's just say she didn't see that kind of science in her everyday life. "Breakers are set;" Steve stated, making sure everything was set and one hundred percent safe. "Emergency generators are on standby."

"Good. If we blow the grid, I don't want to lose Tiny here in the 1950's." Everyone in the room gave Bruce a panicked look.

Scott's eyes were blown out of proportion. "Excuse me?!"

"He's kidding." Natasha reassured, glaring at Bruce.

"You can't say things like that, man!" Elizabeth whisper-yelled, making a cut-throat motion with her thumb.

Bruce looked down, admitting defeat. "It was a bad joke..."

"You were kidding, right?" Natasha asked for confirmation.

"I have no idea." Bruce whispered back. "We're talking about time travel here. Either it's all a joke, or none of it is." Bruce gave two thumbs up to Scott, raising his voice high enough for the man to ehar. "We're good! Get your helmet on. I'm going to send you back a week, let you walk around for about an hour, then bring you back in ten seconds. Makes sense?"

Elizabeth could almost feel the gears turning in her head, her brain was almost melting due to the sheer amount of information she had been given in the last few days. "Perfectly not confusing." Scott confirmed, giving Bruce an awkward and shaky thumbs up back.

"You can do this, Scott." Elizabeth smiled. "If anyone can time travel, it's you."

"She's right." Steve stated. "Good luck, Scott. You got this."

The man nodded. "You're right. I do, Captain America." Elizabeth couldn't help but feel a bit hurt that he didn't acknowledge her reassurance, but shrugged it off anyway. She was used to being the type of superhero parents wouldn't tell their children about. Bruce pressed a button and Scott disappeared in the Quantum Realm.

"On the count of three." The Smart-Hulk began to count down. "Three, two, one!" He pressed down on another button, sending Scott flying out of the Quantum Realm and into the garage again. Although, as the man flew out in the beefy suit, Elizabeth looked straight into the window in the helmet, seeing a much younger Scott Lang.

"Uh guys?" He asked. "This- this doesn't feel right."

"What is this?" Steve asked, gesturing towards the pubescent boy.

"My god- Is that Scott?" Elizabeth asked, a look of concern growing on her face.

Bruce started slamming on different buttons, trying to get Scott turned back into normal. "Hold on."

"What did we do to Scott?" Natasha asked, panicking. Teenage Scott finally got sucked back into the Quantum Realm, but everyone held their breath once more as an old man came out in the suit instead. Elizabeth rolled her eyes, rubbing her face and pulling her hair into a ponytail.

"Ow! My back!" Scott yelled, clutching his lower spine.

Steve walked closer to Bruce. "What is this?"

"Can I get a little space here?" Bruce asked, glaring at Steve in return.

"Yeah, yeah." He stepped away. "Can you bring him back?" A few seconds of silence passed.

"Bruce! Can you bring him back!?" Elizabeth yelled, startling the man.

"I'm working on it!" He yelled in return, finally slamming down on the correct sequence of buttons. Scott was sucked back into the realm and pushed back out, now a baby in the suit.

Steve rolled his eyes. "It's a baby."

"It's Scott!" Bruce countered.

"As a baby!" Natasha yelled, pointing at the child in the Ant-Man suit.

Bruce scoffed. "He'll grow!"

"Bring Scott back!" Steve demanded.

The Smart-Hulk sighed and pointed towards Elizabeth. "When I say kill the power, kill the power."

"Oh my god." She groaned, speed-walking towards the power generator.

After a few minutes of pressing buttons, Bruce yelled again. "Kill it!" Elizabeth pulled the generator's lever down and switched it off. A bunch of lights shut off, and a few sparks flew from plugs that didn't have surge protectors. Low and behold, Scott came out of the Quantum realm, this time, at his normal age.

"Somebody peed my pants."

"Oh, thank god." Natasha responded, quite obviously relieved that Scott was back.

"But I don't know if it was baby me, or old me... or just me." He admitted.

Elizabeth sighed, watching as Bruce beamed as everyone else glared at him. "Time travel!" Steve said nothing and walked away, shaking his head. Natasha and Elizabeth took the exit door straight outside just as Bruce delivered his classic line: "I see this as an absolute win!"

Natasha looked at her best friend, letting the cold wind flap her orange braid around. "What do you think you're going to do if this works?" She asked.

"I don't know." Elizabeth admitted. "Probably go back to living the apple pie life with Daisy and Marilyn."

"What about Bucky?" Natasha asked, picking at her nails. "I hate to pry but you two had a pretty romantic moment out on the battlefield."

Elizabeth laughed. "I do forgive him for what happened. It's been so long it'd be bad to hold such a grudge. But I don't know if he'll want to come."

"Why not? He was open to settling down with you before."

"Well- if this does work, I'm going to be a whole two years older than Bucky. I just- can't help but worry if that's going to be an issue."

Natasha shook her head. "After all the years of a regular life he's missed, I doubt five more will change his views."

"I guess I can only hope that you're right."


	39. CHAPTER THIRTY-EIGHT

(2023)

"Hey, are you okay?" Elizabeth asked Steve. He sat outside of the Avengers Compound, getting some fresh air. He turned to his friend, smiling lightly at her company. Elizabeth sat down on the bench beside him, nudging him a bit with her shoulder. She knew exactly what he was thinking about. If this worked, he had the chance to go back to Peggy and get the life he always wanted. The life he deserved.

"I'm okay." He nodded, gazing back down at the asphalt sidewalk.

"Nobody would blame you, you know." Elizabeth stated, making Steve look back up at her with confusion. "If you went back to Peggy. After everything you've done- I think everyone expects you to go back." The man in question's face softened, eyebrows drooping. "I'm sure you'll make the right decision, but don't feel weighed in by others."

"And what if I do? Then what? I'll never get to see Bucky, Sam, or you ever again. Natasha, Bruce, even Tony. I won't get to see them. Ever."

Elizabeth wrapped her arm around her dear friend in a comforting manner. "You know they'd understand, right?"

He shook his head. "I want to be able to see you all, but I want to live my life to the fullest as well."

"You had your time to see us all. You got to spend the last eleven years with us." Elizabeth spoke. "Now it's time to spend one hundred years with the love of your life." Steve simply nodded, enjoying the comfort and company of one of his best friends beside him. A ripping sound made his head shoot up, and a black Audi sped towards them, pulling forward in front of the two. The window rolled down, revealing Tony Stark himself.

"Why the long face?" He asked. "Let me guess, he turned into a baby."

"Among other things." Elizabeth answered, standing up and cracking her back.

"Tony, what are you doing here?" Steve asked as the man in question got out of the car.

"That's called the EPR Paradox, Liz. Instead of pushing Lang through time, you wound up pushing time through Lang." Elizabeth rolled her eyes, not wanting to get scientific. "It's tricky. Very dangerous. Somebody should've cautioned you against it."

Elizabeth sighed. "You did."

"Oh, did I?" Tony sarcastically asked, opening the trunk of his car. "Thank God I'm here. Regardless, I fixed it." The two that sat on the bench moments before perked up as Tony dug out a small device straight out of his pocket. "A fully functioning Time-Space GPS. I just want peace." He said, throwing the GPS into Elizabeth's hands and making a peace sign with the hand that was now empty. "Turns out, resentment is corrosive, and I hate it."

"Me too." Steve finally spoke, rubbing his hands together in awkwardness.

"We have a shot at getting these stones, but I gotta tell you my priorities." Tony explained. "Bring back what we lost? I hope, yes." He looked to Elizabeth, eyes softening as he watched her mouth twitch downwards. "Keep what I got? I have to, at all costs. And- well, maybe not die trying."

"Sounds like a deal." Steve agreed, shaking hands with Tony. Before he could shake hands with Elizabeth, she leaped up and pulled Tony into a hug, letting a few tears stray down her cheeks. She had a chance- a chance. After five years, they finally had hope.

"Bring them back." She whispered. "Please." As they pulled apart, Tony nodded, reaching into the open trunk of his Audi and handing Steve his old shield and Elizabeth a metal object. It was Bucky's old arm, it had been removed in Wakanda, and she assumed it had been destroyed. Elizabeth took the arm, closing her eyes as the tears fell down her cheeks. Steve hesitated to hold onto his red, white, and blue shield.

"Tony..."

"Why?" He asked. "He made it for you." Tony replied, referencing his late father, Howard. "Plus, I have to get it out of the garage before Morgan takes it sledding."

"In her defense, it was my idea." Elizabeth retaliated, trying to wipe away her tears with her empty hand. She looked back down at the arm she held, smiling at the ground. "Thank you, Tony." Elizabeth looked up, eyes red and puffy, nose running, and voice hoarse from sobbing earlier in the night.

"Will you keep that a little quiet? I didn't bring those for the whole team." He admitted. "We are getting the whole team, right?"

"We're working on it." Steve answered.

Elizabeth's phone began to ring, so she stepped back inside of the compound and answered it. "Hello?"

_'It's Nat. We have eyes on Barton. Thought you should come. We're lifting off in a few.'_

"I'm on my way." Elizabeth hung up and ran over to the helipad, thinking about Clint. He had disappeared after the snap, and apparently he had become an infamous assassin. They had kept tabs on them for the last five years, for Natasha and Elizabeth's sake. Her thoughts dissipated as she approached the QuinJet, hopping on and sitting down beside Natasha.

"Are you ready to see him again?" Elizabeth asked, knowing that her friend was much closer to Clint than she was.

Natasha took a deep breathe in, sighing loudly. "I don't know."

**♦♢♦**

The two women huddled under umbrellas, shielding themselves from the downpour of rain in Tokyo. They had both changed into full black outfits, trying to match the scenery as much as possible and not be suspicious. Elizabeth entered the nightclub that Clint's location tracker had led them to first, letting Natasha follow behind her.

"2人の女性に何か飲み物をもらえますか？" (Can I get you two ladies anything to drink?) The bartender asked as Natasha and Elizabeth both folded their umbrellas and shoved them down the side.

"いいえ、結構です。最初に煙が出る必要があります。" (No thank you, we need to have a smoke first.) Elizabeth lied. Being fluent in twenty languages was definitely a good skill she had taken from the Red Room. "後ろの出口はどこですか？" (Where is the back exit?)

"右側の廊下、左側の最初のドア。" (Hallway to your right, first door on the left.) The bartender answered.

"ありがとうございました。" (Thank you.) Natasha spoke politely, following Elizabeth back towards the exit of the nightclub. The loud music and pounding lights were giving both of them headaches, but they kept stretching forward until they were outside in the soaking rain once more, umbrellas out again. Bodies lay upon the wet asphalt, and a single man stood in front of the two women, holding the limp body of another man. The one holding the body pulled the sword out of the other's body, letting the unconscious man collapse onto the floor. The murderer turned back to look at Natasha and Elizabeth, revealing himself as Clint Barton.

"You shouldn't be here." Elizabeth stood in shock as Clint talked. She barely recognized the man she once considered her brother. Stubble had grown around his jaw and chin, and his face had aged gruesomely. It was like his face was placed in an eternal scowl.

"Neither should you." Natasha replied, gripping tighter onto her umbrella.

"I've got a job to do."

"Is that what you're calling this?" Elizabeth asked, a bit firmer than Natasha, but she kept her voice low and steady. "Killing all these people back isn't going to bring Laura and the kids back." Elizabeth knew Clint's kids, she considered them her own family, but they had been lost during the snap as well.

"We found something, Clint." Natasha spoke, watching as Clint's face turned into one of sorrow. "A chance."

"Don't...."

"Don't what?"

"Don't give me hope." Clint emotionally spoke, his voice breaking.

"I'm sorry I couldn't give it to you sooner."


	40. CHAPTER THIRTY-NINE

(Ų̸̨̭̖̥͍̬̰̟̘͙̃N̶̢̡̧̳̙̲̣̿̽̍̃̉̓͊͊̂͝K̵̺͓̠͕͔̠͈͕̤̖̍͐͛̂͛͌̈́̚͘Ṋ̴̏̉͒̏̽͝͠Ó̶͖̜̝͓̥̅̀̀͑̅̚̚͜͝ͅẂ̷̨̢̠̤̘̘̙̩̐̔͌͑̋Ṋ̵̨̫̰̓̑͜͜͜͝͝)

"Drifting left. On the side there, Lebowski." Elizabeth smirked at Tony. It had been a while since she had really seen the old Tony Stark, snarky and sarcastic, and it made her just a little more hopeful that everything could go back to normal. To be fair, out of all the Avengers, Thor had changed the most. Dreadlocks that looked like he hadn't cleaned in years, and a dad-bod full of beer and chicken wings.

"Rocket, how's it going?" Elizabeth asked, approaching the raccoon. She slouched down to his level and watched as he worked through something.

"It's going." He mumbled in response. The woman sighed and left the room, walking in towards where Scott, Bruce, Steve and Rhodey stood.

"Time travel suit?" Elizabeth scoffed in response to Scott's red and white suit. "Not bad."

"Hey, hey, hey!" Scott yelled, watching as Bruce touched a red thing in one of the glass tubes. "Easy, easy!"

Smart Hulk looked at him with a confused daze. "I'm being very careful."

"No, you're being very Hulky."

"I'm being careful." Bruce confirmed.

Scott picked up one of the glass vials. "These are Pym Particles, alright? And ever since Hank Pym got snapped out of existence, this is it. This is what we have. We can't make any more."

"Wait, Hank Pym?" Elizabeth asked, "We learnt about him in medical school. He was revolutionary to the world of physics. You were close with him?"

"Yes, but that's not the point!" Scott spoke, annoyed. "The point is that nobody can touch these without knowing what they can do."

"Scott, calm down." Rhodey stated.

"Sorry, but we've only got enough for one round trip each. That's it. No do-overs. Plus two test runs." Scott yelled as he accidentally slammed down on one of the buttons, shrinking then immediately growing back into his normal human size. "One test run." Elizabeth rolled her eyes and stayed in the room as Bruce and Rhodey went to do their own thing.

"Wait, Scott!" She yelled, grasping onto the superhero's shoulder and turning him around. "In one of his famous papers, didn't Hank Pym mention that he kept a stash of emergency items somewhere hidden? All of the physics students in my class always wanted to know why he kept it hidden, and why he told the world."

"Where do you think I got the particles from, Doctor?"

Elizabeth's face dawned one of understanding and shock as her and Scott walked out of the room. Before she could respond, they had already approached where Natasha, Steve, Tony, Bruce, Rhodey and Nebula stood at the large panel. Panic was plastered across all of their faces, but they masked it well from their friends.

"All right." Scott sighed. "I'm not ready for this."

"I'm game. I'll do it." Clint replied, walking into the room wearing the same suit that Scott was wearing moments before.

"Clint, you're going to feel a bit discombobulated from the chronoshift. Don't worry about it." Bruce explained as Clint stepped on the platform.

"Wait a second, let me ask you something." Rhodey spoke, causing everyone to turn towards him. "If we can do this, you know, go back in time, why don't we just find baby Thanos, you know, and..." He trailed off, wrapping his arms around each other in a circular motion and pulling them outwards.

Elizabeth made a disgusted face as she realized that Rhodey was talking about strangling baby Thanos. "Okay, that's horrible." She remarked.

"It's Thanos." Rhodey replied, justifying his point a little more.

"If this works exactly like time travel in movies, time can't work that way." Elizabeth explained. "Changing the past can't change the future."

"Look-" Scott started. "We go back, we get the stones before Thanos gets them, Thanos doesn't have the stones. Problem solved!"

"Bingo." Clint spoke from the platform.

"That's not how it works." Nebula replied.

"Well, that's what I heard."

"And who in their right mind would tell you stuff like that?" Elizabeth asked, picking at the skin on her nails.

Rhodey scoffed. "Star Trek, Terminator, TimeCop, Time After Time-"

Scott cut in. "Quantum Leap-"

"A Wrinkle in Time, Somewhere in Time-"

"Hot Tub Time Machine-" Elizabeth smiled fondly at that. She remembered watching that movie with Bucky a few nights before he proposed. She had exclaimed how remarkably similar he looked to one of the characters a while back, but he finally sat down and watched it with her on that day. Like most of her memories now, it was bittersweet.

"Basically, any movie that deals with time travel." Rhodey finished, answering Elizabeth's rhetorical question.

"Die Hard?" Scott wondered out loud. "No, that's not one..."

"I don't know why everyone believes that, but it really isn't true." Elizabeth stated, gazing at the burn scars that littered her palm.

"Think about it." Bruce replied. "If you travel to the past, that past becomes your future, and your former present becomes the past, which can no longer be changed by your new future."

"Exactly." Nebula confirmed, backing up both Bruce and Elizabeth.

"So... Back to the Future is a bunch of bullshit?"

Elizabeth rolled her eyes. "Scott, I'm pretty sure you knew it was bullshit the moment he fell in love with his own mother."

"You do have a point."

"Alright Clint, we're going in three... two... one!" And with that, Clint disappeared and reappeared almost momentarily. He held a baseball glove in his hand, his lip quivering.

"Hey, hey." Natasha spoke, trying to snap Clint back into reality. "You okay?"

Elizabeth looked him in the eyes, mouth agape. "Yeah, it worked. It worked."


	41. CHAPTER FORTY

(2023)

Elizabeth, Steve, Tony, Bruce, and the rest of the Avengers all stood in front of hologram displays, showcasing the Infinity Stones.

"Okay, so the 'how' works. Now we have to figure out the 'when' and the 'where'." Steve started, pacing in front of the hologram alongside Elizabeth, Bruce, and Tony. The four of them were leading the planning portion of the mission they were going to pull off.

"Almost all of us have had an encounter with at least one of the Infinity Stones." Elizabeth stated, speaking with authority. "Tony, Steve, Bruce, Thor, Rocket, Natasha, Clint and Nebula."

"Well, I'd substitute the word 'encounter' for damn well near been killed by one of the six Infinity Stones."

"I haven't." Scott replied to Tony. "I don't even know what the hell you're all talking about!"

Bruce rolled his eyes. "Regardless, we only have enough Pym Particles for one round trip each, and these stones have been in a lot of different places throughout history."

"Our history." Tony spoke. "So, not a lot of convenient spots to just drop in."

"So we need to pick our targets." Elizabeth replied, rubbing the back of her neck. "Carefully, at that."

"Let's start with the Aether." Steve stated. "Thor, what do you know?" Everyone turned to Thor, who was sitting on a chair with sunglasses on, motionless.

"Is he sleeping?" Elizabeth asked.

"No, I'm pretty sure he's dead." Rhodey answered.

Thor stirred awake, grunting as everyone looked at him for an answer. "Where to start? Um- The Aether, first, is not a stone, someone called it a stone before." He started. "It's more of a-an angry sludge thing, so someone's gonna need to amend that." Elizabeth opened up the holographic panel and changed the views on every eye they had on The Aether. "Here's an interesting story, though: Many years ago, my grandfather had to hide the stones from the Dark Elves." Thor made gestures with his fingers, imitating something like a ghost. "Woooh, scary beings." An image of a woman Elizabeth had never seen before popped up onto the hologram. "That's Jane, she's an old flame of mine. She stuck her hand inside a rock this one time, and then the Aether stuck itself inside her. She became very, very sick. So I had to take her to Asgard, which is where I'm from, and we had to try and fix her. We were dating at the time, you see, I got to introduce her to my mother, who's dead." Everyone could see the tears looming in Thor's eyes, but he continued the story nonetheless. "Jane and I aren't even dating anymore, these things happen though, nothing lasts forever." Tony began pushing Thor back into his chair, only to get butted back to where he sat before. "I'm not done yet, the only thing permanent in life is impermanence."

A few moments of silence passed, everyone taking in all of Thor's information. "Awesome." Tony stated. "Eggs? Breakfast?"

"I'd like a Bloody Mary, thank you." Thor answered.

Elizabeth turned to Rhodey. "Has he always been like this?"

"Believe it or not, he used to have a six-pack."

**♦♢♦**

Elizabeth dug into her first full meal in the last few weeks, sitting beside Steve and Natasha at the table as Rocket paced back and forth across the table. The hologram showed the Power Stone, revealing vital information about the object that destroyed the universe five years prior.

"Quill said he stole the Power Stone from Morag." Rocket stated.

"Is that a person?" Scott asked.

Rocket turned back around and stood in front of Ant-Man. "Morag's a planet. Quill was a person."

"A planet?" Scott wondered, bewildered. "Like in outer space?"

"Oh, look. It's like a little puppy, all happy and everything." Rocket teased, rubbing Scott's head. "Do you wanna go to space? You wanna go to space, puppy? I'll get you to space."

**♦♢♦**

Natasha sat cross-legged on the couch next to Scott, Rocket and Bruce, and Clint sat in the smaller chair beside them, leaving Steve, Rhodey, Nebula and Elizabeth to stand up on their own. They all faced the robotic woman, gaining information about the Infinity Stone that was showcased on the holographic screen.

"Thanos found the Soul Stone on Vormir." Natasha took notes on a notepad as Nebula spoke.

"What is Vormir?" Elizabeth asked, arms crossed as she stood beside Steve.

"A dominion of death, at the very center of Celestial existence." Nebula replied, her lip beginning to quiver and her voice becoming uneven. "It's where Thanos murdered my sister." An uncomfortable silence fell over the room as Natasha scribbled down what the robot said. Elizabeth picked at her fingernails, trying to avoid eye contact with anyone who wanted to give it to her.

Scott finally broke the silence, and it wasn't necessarily a good thing. "Not it."

**♦♢♦**

Elizabeth laid down beside Natasha and Tony on a table surrounded by papers, leaving Bruce to lay on the floor. Their last subject to gain information about popped up on the holographic display- The Time Stone.

"That Time Stone guy..." Natasha started.

"Stephen Strange." Elizabeth replied.

"Yeah, what kind of doctor was he?"

"Ear-nose-throat meets rabbit from a hat." Tony snarkily answered.

Elizabeth rolled her eyes. "Neurosurgeon, wizard."

"He had a nice place in the village, being a neurosurgeon would explain that." Bruce stated.

"Yeah. Sullivan Street?" Tony questioned.

"Bleecker." Elizabeth confirmed.

"Wait." Natasha spoke, sitting up. "He lived in New York?"

"No, he lived in Toronto." Tony answered sarcastically. "He lived in Toronto. Were you even paying attention?"

"Guys, if you pick the right year, there are three stones in New York." Natasha stated, everyone sitting up alongside her.

Bruce opened his mouth in shock. "Shut the front door."


	42. CHAPTER FORTY-ONE

(Ų̸̨̭̖̥͍̬̰̟̘͙̃N̶̢̡̧̳̙̲̣̿̽̍̃̉̓͊͊̂͝K̵̺͓̠͕͔̠͈͕̤̖̍͐͛̂͛͌̈́̚͘Ṋ̴̏̉͒̏̽͝͠Ó̶͖̜̝͓̥̅̀̀͑̅̚̚͜͝ͅẂ̷̨̢̠̤̘̘̙̩̐̔͌͑̋Ṋ̵̨̫̰̓̑͜͜͜͝͝)

Six holograms opened up above the desk The Avengers stood at, displaying all different locations of where the stones were. To recap, the Reality Stone was stuck in Asgard back in 2013, in a woman named Jane Foster. The Soul Stone was on a planet called Vormir, stuck in 2014. The Power Stone was also in another galaxy on a planet called Knowhere, it was also stuck in 2014. The rest of the stones, Space, Mind, and Time, stayed in New York City during the Attack of New York, right in the center of the city itself.

"All right. We have a plan. Six Stones, three teams. One shot." Steve spoke assertively, ready to lead the team into battle. "Let's go over the plan one more time."

Steve looked over to Elizabeth, nodding at her to lead her team. "Me, Steve, Tony, Scott and Bruce will go to New York in 2012. Bruce will go to the Ancient One- the person who trained Stephen Strange before he held the Eye of Agamotto, she has the stone." She stated. "Tony and Scott will go into Stark Tower and capture the scepter from the SHIELD agents, and Steve will make sure Loki can't escape with the Tesseract." Elizabeth explained. "If everything goes to plan, we can get the stones and come back without a hitch." They all stepped out of the room and towards the Quantum Time machine, wearing their red and white suits. Elizabeth almost couldn't breathe, and she couldn't tell if it was the tight suit or the nervousness wracking her body.

She had a chance.

"Five years ago, we lost. All of us. We lost friends, we lost family, we lost a part of ourselves." Steve spoke, beginning his speech. "Today, we have a chance to take it all back. You know your teams, you know your missions. Get the stones, get them back." Elizabeth was the first to put her fist out, everyone following in the center. "One round trip each. No mistakes, no do-overs. Most of us are going somewhere we know, but it doesn't mean we should know what to expect." He continued. "Be careful. Look out for each other. This is the fight of our lives, and we're gonna win." Elizabeth looked at Steve, tears in her eyes. The two best friends grasped hands, knowing how much Bucky meant to one another. "Whatever it takes." He gazed back to the group. "Good luck."

Rocket looked to Scott. "He's pretty good at that."

"Right?" Ant-Man responded excitedly.

"All right. You heard the man." Tony exclaimed. "Stroke those keys, jolly green." He ordered Bruce.

"Tractors engaged." The Smart Hulk responded.

"You promise to bring that back in once piece, right?" Rocket asked, referring to the tiny spaceship in Clint's hand.

He scoffed in response. "Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Okay. I'll do my best."

"As promises go, that was pretty lame."

Elizabeth looked to Steve, smiling sadly. "We're going to do this."

He nodded. "I hope you're right."

Natasha looked to everyone with a smile on her face. "See you in a minute." The masks pulled themselves onto their faces, protecting them from the oncoming travel. Immediately, everyone shrunk down and were carried off into the Quantum Realm. Elizabeth looked around, seeing everyone around her before being split off into different time periods and places. Her stomach got queasy as colours and objects passing by her. She finally materialized into 2012, immediately clutching onto a nearby building and hurling out the Chinese food she had eaten hours before. Everyone's suits evaporated, leaving Elizabeth wearing her old black suit that Tony had gifted her.

"All right, we all have our assignments." Steve spoke, stepping a bit ahead of the group. "Two Stones uptown, one Stone, down. Stay low. Keep an eye on the clock." Elizabeth turned to see the 2012 version of herself choking a Chitauri to death by wrapping her legs around its neck.

"Didn't know you had those kinds of skills, Doctor." Scott remarked.

"Being part of a HYDRA agency for most of your life teaches you a few things." She replied, smirking a bit. "And please, call me Elizabeth." Their conversation was cut short by the old Hulk rushing by them, smashing almost everything around him. Bruce put his hand on his head, embarrassed.

"Feel free to smash a few things on the way." Steve spoke, entirely serious.

"I think it's gratuitous, but whatever." Bruce replied, ripping off his black tank top and weakly smashing things sarcastically. He made growling noises, punched a few cars, and threw a motorbike at the wall, making everyone in the group wince at the noise.

Scott smiled. "I can't believe I'm seeing this happen in person."

Elizabeth groaned. "You better get used to it."

**♦♢♦**

Tony flew outside of Stark Tower in his Iron Suit, watching as The 2012 Avengers stood inside with Loki in their grasps. Elizabeth walked in alongside him, she had used the turbo boosters in her suit to get up the window and scale the walls. Tony's suit retracted, revealing a miniscule Scott on his shoulder as the three hid behind one of the room dividers.

"If it's all the same to you, I'll have that drink now." Loki snarkily said, sitting on the stairs, beaten to a pulp.

"All right, get him on his feet. We can all stand around posing up a storm later." 2012 Tony said, walking away from Loki, still in his Iron Suit. "By the way, feel free to clean up."

"Uh, Mr. Rogers." Current Tony said as 2012 Steve walked by. "I almost forgot that that suit did nothing for your ass."

Elizabeth wheezed silently. "I have to agree, man." She said through her coms.

"Nobody asked you two to look." Steve replied.

Tony looked at Elizabeth and spoke in a whisper. "It's ridiculous."

"I think you look great, Cap." Scott spoke. "As far as I'm concerned, that's America's ass." He remarked, saluting.

2012 Natasha spoke again, startling Elizabeth due to the familiarness of the voice. "Who gets the, uh, magic wand?"

"STRIKE team's coming to secure it." 2012 Tony replied. Almost on cue, the secret HYDRA agents walked in, including Rumlow and Sitwell. Current Tony could feel Elizabeth tense up slightly, locking eyes with her before glancing towards the HYDRA operatives.

"We can take that-" Sitwell started, taking Loki's Scepter from 2012 Natasha. "-Off your hands."

"By all means." She replied. "Careful with that thing."

Elizabeth looked at Current Tony. "We can't change the future from happening, right?"

He shook his head. "Trust me, if we could, HYDRA would've never grown from under our noses."

"Who are these guys?" Scott asked, completely clueless of the events that happened years ago.

"They're SHIELD. Well, actually, they're HYDRA." Tony replied. "But we didn't know that yet."

"Seriously, you didn't? I mean- they look like bad guys." Scott countered.

"If you don't shut your mouth right now, I'm revoking first name privileges." Elizabeth threatened, remembering her near-death experiences during the fall of SHIELD. She did her best to block those memories, but with situations like going back in time and the burn scars still looming on her palms, it was nearly impossible.

"Sorry, sorry." Scott surrendered.

"On my way down to coordinate search and rescue." 2012 Steve ordered, walking into the elevator.

Quickly, Loki transformed into Steve and imitated him. "On my way to coordinate search and rescue!" He transformed back. "I mean, honestly! How do you think you'll be-" Thor slapped a muffling device on Loki's mouth to keep him quiet in the moment, which was really one of the better ideas he had ever had.

"Was he really that much of a douche?" Elizabeth asked.

Tony nodded. "You wouldn't believe the level of douchiness he had." He looked to Scott, who was still on his shoulder. "All right, you're up, little buddy." The three locked eyes with the briefcase with the Tesseract in it. "There's our stone."

"Alright. Flick me." Scott exclaimed. As he asked, Tony flicked him right onto 2012 Tony's beard. A strange look on his face, 2012 Tony scratched his goatee, dropping Scott into his Arc Reactor. The Avengers all piled into the elevator, the only one being left out was the Hulk. As all this was happening, Tony jumped out of the window alongside Elizabeth, both of them letting their suits cover their bodies once more and send them off flying into New York City. The two stopped mid-air, the only thing holding them up being their repulsors.

"Alright Cap. We got our scepter in the elevator just passing floor eighty." Tony spoke through his coms.

Steve coughed on the other end. "On it. You two, head to the lobby."

"Aye aye, Captain." Elizabeth smirked as their coms went off and the two flew back down into the entrance of Stark Tower.

"That window should bring us to one of the supply closets." Tony revealed, pointing to one of the lower floors. "We go in, get a disguise, get the stone."

Elizabeth nodded. "Well, what're we waiting for, then?" They both grinned and busted into the window, wiping off the shattered glass that had accumulated on their suits. Elizabeth found a smaller cabinet inside of the closet, pulling a dark blue SHIELD shirt and a vest overtop of her suit, Tony doing the same. They both pulled on two helmets and left the closet, taking their positions near the front desks of the tower.

"Scott, are you still with us?" Elizabeth asked through her coms. "We've got our eyes on the Tesseract. It's go-time."

"Bombs away." He replied, sliding down from 2012 Tony's hair into his shirt. "Is that Axe body spray?"

"Yeah, I had a can just for emergencies." Current Tony answered. "Can we focus, please?"

"I'm going inside you-" Scott paused. "Now!" As he jumped into Tony's Arc Reactor again, Alexander Pierce and Thor arrived in the front Stark Tower room.

"May I ask where you're going?" Pierce asked, the question directed at Thor. Loki stood a ways behind him, the muzzle still placed on his mouth.

"To lunch and then Asgard." Thor replied. "I'm sorry, you are?"

"Alexander Pierce. He's the man, one of the folks behind Nick Fury." 2012 Tony answered.

Pierce coughed. "My friends call me Mr. Secretary." He smiled. "I'm going to have to ask you to turn that prisoner over to me."

"Loki will be answering to Odin himself." Thor remarked proudly.

"Oh, he's going to be answering to us. Odin can have what's left." Pierce replied, obviously not really caring about the situation. "And I'm going to need that case, that's been SHIELD property for over seventy years." He demanded, making Elizabeth's eyebrows furrow. She hated that man with a burning passion, to put it lightly.

"Hand over the case, Stark." One of the HYDRA agents ordered.

"All right, move it, Stuart Little." Current Tony spoke through the coms. "Things are getting dicey up here. Let's go."

"Remember the plan, Scott." Elizabeth whispered, being closer than Tony was to their past selves.

"You promise me you won't die?" He asked.

Tony scoffed. "You're only giving me mild cardiac dysrhythmia."

"That doesn't sound mild."

"I need the case." Pierce urged even further.

2012 Tony battled back once again. "I know you got a lotta pull, but I'm just saying-"

"Give me the case!" Alexander yelled as everyone began to grasp at the case.

"Do it, Lang!" Current Tony exclaimed, trying not to raise his voice too much.

"Scott, the window we have is closing. Just do it!" Elizabeth pressed.

Finally, they heard Scott's voice come through the coms. "Here goes!" With that, 2012 Tony fell to the ground, dropping the case.

"Stark?" Pierce asked.

"Stark!" Thor yelled, clearly more worried about Tony than the HYDRA operative was.

Tony started strangely moving on the floor. "Look, he's convulsing! Give him air! Medic!" Pierce wailed, trying to get someone's attention.

"Medic!" Current Tony yelled, trying not to act suspicious. "You guys, some help!" A large force, Ant-Man, pushed the case far away, sliding it across the floor. Loki looked at it oddly, and glanced up. Elizabeth dived for the case and picked it up, walking over to the elevator with Tony trailing shortly behind her.

"Good job." He exclaimed to Scott. "Meet me in the alley, I'm gonna grab a quick slice." Suddenly, Elizabeth and Tony were pushed back onto the floor by 2012 Hulk slamming himself out of the elevator. The case slid across the floor again, this time opening up and spewing the Tesseract out. The cube holding the stone tapped against Loki's feet, letting him grab it and disappear into a black cloud of smoke.

"No stairs!" Hulk shouted, everyone immediately running away in fear of the green, angry giant.

"You'll be fine, Stark. Stay with us!" Thor shouted at 2012 Tony, not realizing that his brother had gotten away. "I'll try something, okay? I have no idea if it's going to work." He placed the Mjolnir against 2012 Tony's Arc Reactor, tapping the other end of it lightly and creating some form of defibrillator. Even though Elizabeth winced at the lack of knowledge they had about helping a dead man walking, it worked. "Yes!" Thor yelled in delight.

"That worked a treat. That was so crazy!" 2012 Tony exclaimed.

"I had no idea if that was going to work." Thor said again, making 2012 Tony panic a little more.

"Where's the case?"

Thor looked around to try and answer Tony's question. "The case... It's uh- Where's the case?" He asked, panicked. "Where's Loki? Loki!" While all that was going on, Elizabeth and Tony made a quick escape through the herd of civilians trying to escape from the Hulk. They found the alleyway they were at before, and shrugged off the SHIELD worker clothes, leaving them in their iron suits once again.

"That wasn't supposed to happen, was it?" Scott asked, turning into a regular-sized man in front of them.

Elizabeth sighed. "We blew it."


	43. CHAPTER FORTY-TWO

(Ų̸̨̭̖̥͍̬̰̟̘͙̃N̶̢̡̧̳̙̲̣̿̽̍̃̉̓͊͊̂͝K̵̺͓̠͕͔̠͈͕̤̖̍͐͛̂͛͌̈́̚͘Ṋ̴̏̉͒̏̽͝͠Ó̶͖̜̝͓̥̅̀̀͑̅̚̚͜͝ͅẂ̷̨̢̠̤̘̘̙̩̐̔͌͑̋Ṋ̵̨̫̰̓̑͜͜͜͝͝)

Steve jumped down from one of a fire escape in one of the random apartment buildings, meeting up with the other three members of his group. Tony sat in the front seat of a wrecked car, whilst Scott and Elizabeth sat in the back of it, all three contemplating how they messed up.

"Cap." Elizabeth spoke loudly, gaining the attention of Steve. He turned around to face the other three.

"Sorry, buddy." Tony sighed. "We got a problem."

"Yeah we do." Scott laughed.

Steve let out a deep breath. "Well, what are we gonna do now?"

"Give us a break, Steve." Elizabeth hoarsely spoke as Scott got out of the car, letting her move to look out the window at Steve. "I just got hit in the head with the Hulk."

"We." Tony yelled. "We got hit in the head with the Hulk."

"Don't try to bring communism into this-"

"You said that we had one shot. This-this was our shot. We shot it. It's shot." Scott yelled, pacing back and forth against the rubble. "Six stones or nothing. Six stones or nothing-"

"You're repeating yourself, you know that?" Tony sassed. "You're repeating yourself."

Scott started making maniacal hand gestures as he spoke. "You're repeating yourself. You're repeating yourself. You're-"

"Scott, shut up!" Elizabeth yelled.

Alas, she was ignored. "You never wanted a time heist, you went on board with the time heist-"

"I dropped the ball." Tony cut in.

"-You ruined the time heist."

"Is that what I did?"

"Yeah!"

Steve broke the fighting between the other two men. "Are there any other options with the Tesseract?"

"No, no, no. There's no other options. There's no do-overs." Scott yelled, slamming the door to the car abruptly. Elizabeth coughed a bit, the force had sprayed some dust in her nose. "We're not going anywhere else. We have one particle left. Each. That's it, alright? We use that– Bye, bye. You're not going home."

"Yeah, well if we don't try then no one else is going home either." Steve yelled.

"Wait." Elizabeth spoke loudly, getting out of the car and slamming the door behind her. "If we do this right, we can get the Tesseract and more Pym Particles at once." She stated. "Military installation, Garden State. Weren't Hank and Howard working there at the time?"

"When could they have both been there?" Steve asked.

Tony got out of the car after Elizabeth's statement. "I have a vaguely exact idea."

"How vague?" Elizabeth asked.

"What are you talking about?" Scott asked, detached from the group. "Where are we going?"

"I know for a fact they were there-" Tony began.

"Who's they? What are we doing?"

"And I know how I know."

"Guys, what's up? What is it?"

Elizabeth sighed. "This may be the only chance we have, Steve." She spoke, seeing the doubtful gaze in her friend's eyes."

"Well." He looked behind him and back towards Elizabeth and Tony. "Looks like we're improvising."

"Right, what are we improvising?" Scott asked, completely clueless once again.

Steve turned to him. "Scott, get this back to the compound." Steve said, handing him the scepter.

"Suit up." Tony said, letting the Quantum Realm outfit wash over his body.

"What's in New Jersey?" Scott asked, confusion plastered upon his face.

Elizabeth's suit came over her as well, same with Steve's. Tony began to read out the numbers. "0-4."

"0-4." They both repeated.

"Uh-" Tony thought. "0-7."

"0-7." Steve replied, Elizabeth staying silent.

"Excuse me-" Scott tried to intervene.

"1-9-7-0." Tony finished.

Elizabeth sighed, eyebrows furrowing as she looked back up at Tony. "Are you sure?"

"Cap. Captain!" Scott yelled, finally getting the attention of Steve. "Steve, sorry, America. Rogers." He fumbled for a bit. "Look, if you do this, and it doesn't work, you're not coming back." He said pessimistically. Elizabeth rolled her eyes and finished putting in the numbers.

"Thanks for the pep talk, pissant." Tony yelled, turning back to the other two superheroes. "Do you two trust me?"

Elizabeth nodded. "I do."

"I do."

"Your call, then." Tony stepped back.

Steve looked at Elizabeth with a hopeful smile before turning back to Tony. "Here we go."


	44. CHAPTER FORTY-THREE

(Ų̸̨̭̖̥͍̬̰̟̘͙̃N̶̢̡̧̳̙̲̣̿̽̍̃̉̓͊͊̂͝K̵̺͓̠͕͔̠͈͕̤̖̍͐͛̂͛͌̈́̚͘Ṋ̴̏̉͒̏̽͝͠Ó̶͖̜̝͓̥̅̀̀͑̅̚̚͜͝ͅẂ̷̨̢̠̤̘̘̙̩̐̔͌͑̋Ṋ̵̨̫̰̓̑͜͜͜͝͝)

"Clearly, you weren't actually born here, right?" Tony asked. He, Elizabeth and Steve were walking around the military base they had been transported to. It was the year 1970, so Tony wore a suit and glasses, Steve wore a green military jumpsuit, and Elizabeth wore a tacky light blue dress.

"The idea of me was." Steve replied.

Elizabeth groaned. "Could we have gotten better outfits? This fabric is making me want to curl up in a hole and die."

"Well, if you had showed up in ripped jeans and a tank top, you would've been thrown in jail." Tony scoffed. "Okay, so imagine you're in SHIELD, running a quasi-fascistic intelligence organization-" Tony looked in through different windows, trying to deduct where SHIELD could be. "-Where do you hide it?" He asked, looking at Steve as the super-soldier glanced over to one of the old barracks.

"In plain sight." He replied. The three of them walked into the barracks and shut the doors behind them, ending up in a modern-looking elevator with another lady. They stood in silence for a few moments, Elizabeth ended up fidgeting with one of the drives she was given. It was small and circular, but if you threw it at someone, it would immediately kill them on the spot.

Tony got out of the elevator. "Good luck on your missions." Elizabeth and Steve nodded as the door shut behind Tony, leaving the two superheroes in the elevator with the stranger.

She looked at the woman. "You're an agent?" Elizabeth nodded, making the woman dawn an even more confused look on her face.

"Is that surprising?" She asked.

The woman nodded. "You don't see many woman agents around here. Not since Agent Carter."

"Well. I'm here to make a change." Elizabeth covered up, trying not to act suspicious. The woman still looked at the two with an odd look as Elizabeth and Steve walked out of the elevator. Whilst Steve went to the desk to call up to Hank Pym's office, Elizabeth made a turn for the bathroom, hiding behind one of the stall doors as inconspicuously as she could. After a few minutes of waiting, she pulled on a pair of glasses that Tony had given her. She tapped the frames twice and looked through the walls with the X-Ray abilities. Steve tapped his hand on the desk twice and Elizabeth could see Hank running down the hall. She quickly stepped out of the washroom and made her way upstairs, sneaking into Hank's office. It was sterile and it smelt like chemicals, but she made her way through the room until she spotted the small vials of red particles. Opening the capsule, Elizabeth grabbed four of the containers and placed them into one of Hank's spare briefcases, walking out of the room and pulling her beret further down to mask her face. She met up with Steve and started walking down the corridor again.

"-And you've never seen those three people before?" Elizabeth could hear a distinct voice call. She looked to Steve and hugged closer to the side of the wall.

"No. I've got an eye for them." The woman from the elevator answered. "Two of em' looked fishy. One was a woman."

"A woman? Nobody's passed an application from a woman to be an agent since Carter. And she runs the place."

"Exactly."

"Can you describe them?"

"Well, one of them had a hippie beard."

"Hippie? Like Bee Gees or Mungo Jerry?"

"Definitely Mungo Jerry."

Steve and Elizabeth finally found a door and ran into the room, pressing their backs against the wall. "Yeah, this is Chesler." They could still hear the officers from the other end. "I need every available MPs on sub-level six. We have a potential breach." Elizabeth took her glasses off and put them back in the dress pocket, letting her hair flow back down her shoulders as she took her hat off as well.

"Steve?" She whispered, watching as he grabbed a picture frame off of one of the desks in the room. Elizabeth walked over, gasping lightly as she saw the picture was of him. It was pre-serum Steve Rogers. A black and white photo. He looked so deathly skinny and pale, like he was ill. Steve looked up through the blinds to the other office, watching as Peggy Carter herself walked in with a file. He walked over to the glass, Elizabeth trailing a bit behind him. She placed her hand on his shoulder delicately.

"C'mon. We have to go." She whispered as Peggy left her office. Steve nodded and walked back out of the office with her, looking down at the ground and pushing his hat back further down his forehead. Elizabeth put her hat back on as well as they rode the elevator up to the military base, planting themselves near one of the tactical missiles. They watched as Tony walked out with another man who was holding a bouquet of flowers. Tony turned around and showed Elizabeth and Steve the briefcase the Tesseract was in, earning a nod and a thumbs-up from the both of them. After the other man got in the car and drove off, Tony walked over.

"Are we ready to get back to good old 2023?" He asked.

"Ready as I'll ever be." Elizabeth answered as Steve nodded, staying quiet. They hid behind one of the buildings and quickly put in the numbers, not pressing the button to go right away. Elizabeth spotted a woman walking over to them, so she quickly hid behind one of the open doors.

It was her mother.

She knew nothing about her mother. But she knew that was her when she saw the woman walk by. Elizabeth's mother worked undercover for HYDRA in SHIELD, she knew that for certain.

Steve was the first one to notice her worried look. "Liz, are you okay?"

She nodded. "Yeah- I just know that woman." She pointed over to her mother, who was wearing a bright pastel yellow dress that almost matched her own.

"Your mother?" Tony asked. Elizabeth nodded, trying to hide her watery eyes with the net that was attached to her hat. "Go talk to her." Tony offered. "I got to talk to my own dad. I think it's only fair that you talk to your mom." For once, Elizabeth did something for herself. She walked over to her mom and tapped her on the shoulder, immediately being greeted by a warm smile.

"Hello." She said in a fake American accent. "May I help you?"

"Oh-um... Yeah. I was just wondering if you could remember this date for me?" Elizabeth asked. "I'll be back in a few moments."

Her mom nodded. "That seems easy enough." She paused. "Miss, I'm sorry if this is rude to ask, but are you crying?"

Elizabeth shook her head violently. "Just a- a rough day."

"Well I hope it gets better for you."

"Thank you." Elizabeth stared for a moment, shaking awake as she wrote down the date she was taken from her mother. "Here. I'll be back in a jiffy. If I'm not, don't wait for me. But please remember that date for as long as you can." Her mom, although confused at the request, nodded.

"I shall see you later, miss." Her mom replied, shoving the piece of paper in her handbag.

"Goodbye." With that, her mother walked away and Elizabeth was left walking back towards where Steve and Tony were hiding.

"Let's go." Their Quantum suits spread across their bodies, and they were transported back home.


	45. CHAPTER FORTY-FOUR

(2023)

All of The Avengers were transported back onto the Quantum platform, the suits coming off of their bodies and leaving them in what they were in last. Everyone each held a stone in their hands. Tony, the Tesseract. Rhodey, the Power Stone. Rocket, the Reality Stone. Bruce, the Time Stone. And Scott, the Mind Stone.

"Did we get them all?" Bruce asked.

"You're telling me this might actually work?" Rhodey asked excitedly. Elizabeth noticed as Clint slumped down against the platform, a disheveled look in his eyes.

"Clint?" She asked, leaning her head to the side to look at him. "Where's Nat?" He looked up, eyes full of regret and sorrow as he shook his head towards Elizabeth. She took a sharp intake of breath, eyes swelling up and beginning to burn. They turned bright red in a matter of seconds as everyone slowly realized what had happened. Elizabeth gasped for air constantly, slumping down to the ground slowly for support. Natasha was the only one she had left. After she saw the way that Steve looked at Peggy back a few minutes before, she realized that he would be going back to her after this all was done. Speaking of, Steve grasped onto Elizabeth before she collapsed to the floor, letting her burrow herself into him. With teary eyes, The Avengers stood there for as long as they could.

**♦♢♦**

Everyone sat on the dock at the lake just outside of the Avengers Compound. Elizabeth sat beside Tony, silently letting rushing tears fall down her face. She wanted to continue on with the mission, she needed to continue on with the mission, but every moment that passed suffocated her even more. Her eyes were red, and the tissues Thor had given her had been drenched already, meaning she was left with the sleeves of the sweater she was given. Elizabeth's eyes were bright red, and her nose was stuffed up, making it even harder to breathe. Steve sat across from her, tears running down his own face.

"Do we know if she had a family?" Tony asked.

"Yeah. Us." Steve answered.

"What?" Thor asked in a menacing tone as he paced around the dock.

"I just asked him a question-"

Tony stood up, facing Thor's eye level as he spoke. "Yeah, you're acting like she's dead. Why are we acting like she's dead?" He yelled. Elizabeth winced, not ready to deal with anger at the moment. "We have the stones, right? As long as we have the stones, Cap, we can bring her back, isn't that right?" Thor clenched his teeth, almost growling. "So stop this shit. We're The Avengers, get it together."

"We can't get her back." Clint revealed, facing away from the others.

"Wha-what?"

"It can't be undone. It can't."

Thor laughed, aggravating Elizabeth as she wiped more tears away using her sleeves. "I'm sorry. No offense, but you're a very earthly being, okay?" He yelled. "We're talking about space magic. 'Can't' seems very definitive, don't you think?"

With that, Elizabeth stood up, facing Thor eye-to-eye with a deadly stare. "No. We can't bring her back. You know that- and yet, you have the goddamn audacity to laugh?" She yelled, sputtering as she cried out. "A member of our family is dead and you're laughing and defying it." She looked to the side, wiping her tears. "I get that you're in denial, but that doesn't mean you have to stop mourning Nat. She was more important to us than anyone. Even now. Even when she's gone." Before Elizabeth could leap at Thor, Tony grabbed her and set her back down on the bench as she cried into her hands.

"It was supposed to be me." Clint spoke, voice wavering with sorrow. "She sacrificed her life for that goddamn stone. She bet her life on it." Bruce yelled, throwing one of the benches off of the dock and chucking it clear across the lake, startling Elizabeth a bit.

"She's not coming back." Bruce spat. "We have to make it worth it. We have to."

Elizabeth lost her breath again as she stood up. "We will."

**♦♢♦**

A few of The Avengers stood in front of a large glass window, watching as Tony carefully placed the Infinity Stones in the Iron Gauntlet. Bruce, Rocket and Elizabeth all stood by, hearts still heavy with sorrow, but a little lighter at the fact that their plan might actually work. The six stones precisely slipped into the small holes-

"Boom!" Rocket yelled, making the three others jump in fear.

Elizabeth looked at the gauntlet with a smile on her face. "We did it."

**♦♢♦**

"All right. The glove's ready." Rocket spoke, lifting it up from it's tech platform. The Avengers stood around it, holding their breath. "Question is, who's gonna snap their freaking fingers?" He asked, leaving the gauntlet in his hands but not pulling it out of its container completely.

"I'll do it." Thor spoke confidently.

"Excuse me?" Elizabeth asked, her voice no longer cracking and her eyes no longer red.

"It's okay." Everyone held their hands up to stop him as he stepped closer to the gauntlet.

"Thor, just wait." Steve demanded. "We haven't decided who's gonna put that on yet."

The God of Thunder scoffed. "I'm sorry, we're just going to sit around and wait for the right opportunity?"

"We should at least discuss it." Scott offered, everyone nodding in response.

"No, no. Sitting here staring at that thing is not gonna bring everybody back!" Thor yelled. "I'm the strongest Avenger, okay? So this responsibility falls upon me. It's my duty." Elizabeth rolled her eyes, stepping in between Thor and the gauntlet ever so slightly.

"Shut the hell up about your goddamn 'Strongest Avenger' type shit. Everyone's tired of it!" She yelled.

Thor shook his head. "It's not that-"

"Of course it is. You said it." Elizabeth sarcastically spoke.

"Shh!" Thor yelled, being pushed back by the woman in front of her. "Just let me do it. Just let me do something good. Something right." He asked desperately, tearing up.

Thor held onto Elizabeth's hands in front of him as she spoke. "Look– It's not just the fact that that glove is channeling enough energy to light up a continent, we're telling you, you're in no condition." She stepped back, standing beside the rest of them surrounding the gauntlet.

"What do you think is coursing through my veins right now?" Thor asked.

"Cheez Whiz?" Rhodey answered, laughing a bit.

Thor pointed to him and grimaced before turning back to the rest of them. "Lightning."

"Lightning won't help you, pal." Bruce spoke from the other side of the room. "It's gotta be me. I mean, you saw what those stones did to Thanos. It almost killed him. None of you could survive." He stated, making a valid point. Everyone turned to Bruce, watching as he approached the gauntlet.

"How do we know you will?" Steve asked.

"We don't." Bruce revealed. "But the radiation's mostly gamma." He looked at the gauntlet more closely. It's like I was made for this." As they discussed further, the 2014 Nebula that had snuck into the Avengers Compound activated the Quantum Portal.

"Good to go?" Elizabeth asked, watching as Bruce took ahold of the gauntlet in his hands.

"Let's do it."

Tony stepped back a bit. "You remember, everyone Thanos snapped away five years ago, we're just bringing them back to now, today. Don't change anything from the last five years." Bruce nodded, muttering a confirmation as everyone's super suits crawled onto them. Elizabeth stood in between Scott and Steve, a hopeful yet scared look in her eyes.

"FRIDAY, do me a favor and activate Barn Door Protocol, will you?" Tony asked, his Iron Suit making a shield around Clint and him.

"Yes, boss." The whole facility went down into lockdown in seconds, and everyone knew that it was time.

"Everybody comes home." Bruce spoke, putting the gauntlet on and watching as it expanded to fit his hand perfectly. Everyone watched in horror as the power of the Infinity Stones surged through his arm and up to his neck, slowly burning off his shirt sleeve and the first few layers of skin.

Thor yelled as Bruce screamed out in pain. "Take it off! Take it off!"

"No! Wait!" Elizabeth yelled. "Bruce, are you okay?!" She asked loudly.

"Talk to us, Banner." Tony demanded.

"I'm okay!" Bruce yelled. "I'm okay!" Thor gave him a double thumbs-up as 2014 Nebula opened the Quantum Portal in the other room, bringing a giant spaceship into the present. Bruce continued to yell in pain, trying to force his fingers together. Finally, he snapped his fingers. He passed out onto the ground and the gauntlet slid off his arm, letting Clint kick it away for good measure.

"Bruce?" Steve asked. He kneeled beside him, Thor, Elizabeth and Tony doing the same as they inspected their friend.

"Don't move him." Tony demanded. He used the chilling mechanism on his suit to cool down Bruce's arm.

The Hulk gasped in and out as he gripped onto Steve. "Did it work?"

"Worth a shot." Thor spoke, stroking his head a bit. Elizabeth held onto Tony's suit shoulder, making sure she was protected by it if anything happened. Suddenly, someone's phone began to ring. Clint picked it up and gasped lightly, holding his hand against his chest. "Honey, honey."

"Guys- I think it worked!" Scott yelled.

"Oh my god." Elizabeth spoke, knowing that her daughter and best friend would be waiting for her back at her old home, wondering what had happened. Bruce looked up and saw a large spaceship hurtling over him, and the others quickly took notice as it flew over the skylights.

Boom.

And it wasn't Rocket saying it this time.


	46. CHAPTER FORTY-FIVE

(2023)

Hundreds of shots were fired into the compound, sending pieces of debris falling down into the abyss. A hole was formed into the sewers and Elizabeth clung onto a branch of a tree with her hand, half of her body stuck in metal. Water rushed down the hole that was made as Tony lifted up the piece of metal keeping Elizabeth from standing up. Rhodey lifted himself out of his War Machine suit, crawling across the mud to reach Rocket, who was also stuck under a piece of debris. Elizabeth's ears rang as Tony flew up out of the hole, so she wasn't able to hear anything that well.

"Rhodey, Rocket, Elizabeth, get outta here!" She could hear Bruce yell. It was muffled and quiet, but she could still hear it faintly. Everyone was drenched as another push of water came through, trapping them in the lower level of what used to be the Avengers Compound.

Elizabeth's ears stopped ringing and she finally got a hold of her coms. "Does anybody copy?" She yelled. "We're in the lower level, it's flooding!"

"Wait!" Scott's voice rang through the coms. "I'm here! I'm here, can you hear me?"

"Yes!" She shouted in relief. Suddenly, Elizabeth's phone began to ring from her suit pocket. She picked it up.

'Elizabeth what's going on?' Marilyn's voice rang through. Elizabeth sighed in relief, having not heard the melodious sound of her best friend's voice in so long.

"I need you to go to Upstate New York, get to The Avengers Compound area, but do not come near it. Find someone who can explain what happened." Quickly, Elizabeth's phone shut down due to the rushing water around them. Tony rushed down and picked Elizabeth up, pulling her out of the overflowing room.

"What- Tony!" She yelled as she stumbled to follow him, her legs aching with a searing pain. "We need to get Rhodey, Rocket and Bruce!"

"We need your combat skills right now." He explained, helping Steve off of the ground, holding his shield. "Come on, buddy. Wake up. You lose this again, I'm keeping it." Elizabeth helped Steve to his feet, ignoring her whole body screaming at her to stop. They stepped up onto a piece of debris, joining Thor as they observed Thanos.

"What's he been doing?" Tony asked.

"Absolutely nothing." Thor answered.

Elizabeth scoffed. "Then what the hell is his game plan?"

"He knows he'll easily overpower us with the stones." Thor spoke. "But if we keep the stones, he's just a giant waiting to be crushed."

"Then where are the stones?" Steve asked.

"Somewhere under all this." Tony replied. "All I know is that he doesn't have them."

"So we have to keep it that way." Elizabeth stated, groaning in pain as she grasped her knives and guns from her holsters.

"You know it's a trap, right?" Thor asked, not even turning towards the other three superheroes.

"Yup." Tony admitted. "And I don't care."

Thor smirked. "Good." His eyes began to glow a bright blue. "Just as long as we're all in agreement." He held out his arms as thunder came booming down, summoning the Stormbreaker axe and the Mjolnir. Elizabeth pulled up her hair and slit it down the center with her tactical knife, leaving her wispy bangs and her brown hair to fall down just below her jaw. The three of them walked over to Thanos, blood boiling as he didn't even make a sense to flinch at the superheroes in front of him.

"You could not live with your own failure. And where did that bring you?" He asked, smirking. "Back to me." Elizabeth stopped in her tracks, gripping harder onto her handgun. "I thought by eliminating half of life, the other half would thrive. But you've shown me that's impossible. And as long as there are those that remember what was, there will always be those that are unable to accept what can be." Thanos spat. "They will resist."

"Yeah, well it's hard to not resist when everyone you love has died." Elizabeth jaggedly spoke, taking in uneven breaths.

"You could say we're all kinds of stubborn when it comes to that." Tony pointed out.

Thanos snickered. "I'm thankful, because now I know what I must do." He spoke, standing up. He soon towered over the four Avengers. "I will shred this universe down to its last atom." He put on his helmet. "And then, with the stones you've collected for me; I will create a new universe. Teeming with life, but knows not what it has lost, only what has been given." Thor lit himself up light blue again, shining bright against the dark metal debris and the smoke-filled air. "A grateful universe."

"Born out of blood." Steve seethed as Thanos picked up his blade, brandishing it.

"They'll never know it." The giant smiled. "Because you won't be alive to tell them." Thus, the fighting began. Elizabeth used Tony's leap at Thanos to launch herself at him, burrowing her vibranium knife into his back. Although, it barely even pierced his thick armour. Tony fired his blaster at Thanos, but it only reflected off of his blade, sending different beams of light out back at Tony.

"Okay, Thor. Hit me." Tony spoke, letting Thor collide Stormbreaker and Mjolnir together and combine their lightning powers. He hit the back of Tony's suit and it repulsed, creating more energy to shoot at Thanos with. Elizabeth pressed a button on her handgun, letting it become a full assault rifle. She began taking shots at Thanos, but he only picked up Tony and used him as a shield.

"Tony!" Elizabeth yelled as he got thrown off to the side. Thor threw the Mjolnir but Thanos simply blocked it, leaving it on the ground. Elizabeth continued taking shots as Steve roundhouse kicked Thanos in the face, but the position she was in was compromising her. She quickly turned her gun back into a regular hand-held one and took shots that way, being able to dodge his blade more easily. Steve was kicked into rubble, compromising him. Thanos then approached Elizabeth, so she grabbed out her Wakandan knife and threw it to his face. He only caught it with his hand. He picked her up by the arm, she screamed as she heard it crack multiple times and was thrown into the ground. Her vision blurred as she struggled to get up, her arm aching. Thanos choked Thor and threw him into the rubble as well, punching his face a few times for good measure as he went to pick up his sword. He kicked Thor in the chest again, landing another few punches to his face. Elizabeth fell back down to the ground, yelling out in pain as her arm began to bleed out onto the soil. It was fully dislocated, so she attempted to push it back in place. It took a few attempts with her blurry vision, but she managed to snap it back in place with a grunt. She watched as Thor tried to summon Stormbreaker, only for Thanos to catch it and attempt to lodge it into Thor's body. Elizabeth rested her head back onto the piece of metal above her, not wanting to watch as Thor got stabbed by the axe.

Was it really over for Earth?


	47. CHAPTER FORTY-SIX

(2023)

Steve held out his hand, catching the Mjolnir mid-air as Thanos kept digging into Thor's chest with the Stormbreaker. Elizabeth looked up with a hopeful smile, resting her good arm against a piece of wood and standing up shakily, the ends of her hair brushing her jawline. The hammer hit into Thanos, knocking him over and freeing Thor. She breathed out with relief and turned her handgun back into an assault rifle, groaning as she attempted to hold it with both arms. Thor watched in astonishment as Steve held the Mjolnir for the first time.

"I knew it!" Thor yelled, only to be kicked back to the ground. Thanos began making a run at Steve, only for him to start rotating the Mjolnir faster and faster and collide it with his face. Thanos fell back, landing harshly on the ground but getting up fast. He threw his shield as Elizabeth took a few shots at him, slowing the giant down a bit. The two continued to take shots at Thanos. One with bullets, and one with lightning. It was looking good as Steve electrocuted Thanos once more, but he got up quickly, slamming Captain America back to the ground. He turned his back on Elizabeth, making her bullets ricochet, one just grazing her thigh. She let out a gasp in pain and ceased her fire, trying to stop the bleeding from her leg as Thanos and Steve continued to fight. The Mjolnir fell to the ground again as Thanos took hits at Steve with his sword, cracking the iconic vibranium shield and stabbing the super-soldiers legs a few times. Thanos chucked him across the battlefield, his shield only half of what it used to be. Elizabeth slumped back against a broken tree, finally standing up without stumbling as she watched the decimation.

"In all my years of conquest, violence, slaughter- It was never personal." Thanos spoke. "But I'll tell you now, what I'm about to do to your stubborn, annoying little planet- I'm going to enjoy it. Very, very much." He smirked manically, his whole army being summoned across the grounds of what once was the Avengers compound. Steve stood up, glancing to Elizabeth with a look of determination, tightening his grip on his shield. Elizabeth gasped as she looked behind her, seeing large orange sparks come out of the air.

"On your left."


	48. CHAPTER FORTY-SEVEN

(2023)

Hundreds of bright orange portals opened behind Steve and Elizabeth, lighting up their faces with hope. Okoye, Shuri, and T'Challa stepped out of the first portal, ready to attack Thanos one last time. Elizabeth knew that it meant that Bucky would be standing in front of her again for the first time in five years, but her counselling sessions with Steve had really helped, and she knew she was ready to see him. Sam flew in the portal with his Falcon wings fully restored, making both Steve and Elizabeth smile. Her arm began to go numb with pain, and she knew that it wasn't a good sign. She quickly assessed it and realized her arm would most likely have to be removed. It was hurt badly, and it wasn't like she could go to the hospital mid-battle with the Titan that wanted to destroy humanity. Elizabeth cleared her head as Stephen levitated in through a portal alongside Drax, Mantis, Star-Lord and Spider-Man. She wanted to hug Stephen so badly in that moment, she had missed him for the last five years, but it wasn't the time yet. Spider-Man took off his mask, sending a wave of familarness into Elizabeth. She had no clue why she now recognized the kid, and she just couldn't put her finger on where she had seen him before. The Wakandan Army that stood behind T'Challa, Okoye and Shuri began chanting again, yelling their war cries out towards Thanos. Elizabeth smiled lightly as Bucky came out of one of the portals, standing alongside Groot. Her heart tugged at her to hug him, tell him that everything would be okay, but she had to do this. If she didn't- who knows what would've happened. Asgardians began to come out of portals, Wanda, The Wasp, and Pepper Potts walked out as well. Pepper was protected by her own blue iron suit, which made everything just a little better. Every single hero was on that battlefield, and they had more hope than ever. Elizabeth stumbled over to Steve, still attempting to not let her limp arm drag around too much.

"Steve-" She breathed, pointing towards Ant-Man, who was giant, and had just appeared from the rubble of the Avengers Headquarters. Bruce, Rhodey, and Rocket emerged as well, pride swelling in their chests.

"Elizabeth." Steve mimicked, making her look over to where Thor had stood up again, the Stormbreaker axe in his hand once again. Tony had also sat up, in shock that everyone else had arrived on the battlefield. Elizabeth stepped back and stood next to Thor, letting Steve catch the Mjolnir in his hand.

"Avengers!" He yelled. "Assemble."

With those two words, the heroes made their battle cries, charging towards Thanos and his army. He lifted his sword, commanding his army to run and attack the Avengers, but something in Elizabeth told her that they wouldn't stand a chance. She used the repulsors in her suit to avoid the army as the two sides collided, and began helping Pepper, Wanda, Mantis and Hope fight against the aliens. She flew up beside Wanda, shooting one of her arm repulsors at the enemies, using her working arm, of course. Pepper and Tony joined them, Wanda trailing off somewhere to fight others. Tony noticed his long-time friend was only using one arm, so he flew over to her.

"Hey kiddo- what's with the repulsor there?" He asked, gaining Elizabeth's attention.

"Thanos-" She kicked one of the aliens off of her leg. "Thanos happened."

"Fair enough. I'll make sure someone looks at it ASAP." Elizabeth nodded as he flew off a few meters away with Pepper, using his chest repulsor to kill hundreds of Thanos' army. Tony flew down to talk to Spider-Man, and Elizabeth followed, watching as none of the aliens stepped foot towards them.

"-Do you remember when we were in space, and I got all dusty? I must've passed out, because I woke up, and you were gone!" The kid rambled to Tony. "But Doctor Strange was there, right? He was like; 'It's been five years. Come on, they need us.' and then he started doing the yellow sparkly thing that he does all the time-" Spider-Man was cut off by Tony hugging him. And as the world crashed down around them, they still had time for each other. Elizabeth stabbed a few aliens that charged towards the three of them. Tony and Spider-Man parted, and the boy looked at Elizabeth with awe in his face.

"Doctor Walters?" He asked, stepping forward.

It clicked. "Peter Parker?" They hugged for a quick moment, Tony watching in confusion. Even though Peter hadn't been a part of her life like he had with Tony, it was still nice to know that something from her past came back to see her, even if it wasn't on purpose.

"C-Can I just tell you that you were the biggest inspiration to me?" Peter stumbled, ash all over his face. Elizabeth nodded and wiped some of the dirt off of his cheeks, heart warmed that someone was inspired by her. Tony clapped his hands loudly twice, shooting another alien.

"Okay pack it up Spider-Boy and Scary Woman." He yelled. "We have a Thanos to fight." Peter nodded and swung away with his webs, leaving Elizabeth and Tony to fight off some of the stray aliens that had wandered off on their way to Steve and Thor.

Elizabeth laughed a bit. "So, is Scary Woman my official superhero name?" She asked.

"You scare me so much." Tony smirked. "It was only fitting."

"It's good to know that I scare Tony Stark." She chuckled, not straying far away from her friend.

"Cap!" Clint yelled through the coms. "What do you want me to do with this damn thing?"

Elizabeth turned to Tony. "He's got the gauntlet."

"Get those stones as far away as possible!" Steve yelled, causing Elizabeth to wince at his volume in her ear.

"No!" Bruce interrupted. "We need to get them back to where they came from."

"No way to get them back." Tony replied. "Thanos destroyed the Quantum Tunnel."

Everyone watched as Scott shrunk back down into his normal size. "Hold on!" He yelled, holding a remote. "That wasn't our only time machine." Elizabeth looked up as Steve ran towards where he could hear the song La Cucaracha coming from, trying to find the other Quantum Tunnel.

"Anyone see an ugly, brown van up there?" He asked. Tony and Elizabeth flew up, watching as a giant Pegasus passed overhead.

"Yes!" The woman on it yelled. "But you're not gonna like where it's parked!"

"Scott?" Elizabeth asked through her earpiece. "How long do you need to get the Quantum Tunnel working?"

"Maybe ten minutes." He answered.

"Start it up." She ordered. "We're going to get the stones to you."

"On it." The Wasp replied. Tony and Elizabeth flew towards Stephen, trapping a group of Chitauri in a light blue magic and sending them through portals. Tony landed first, helping Elizabeth down. It was harder to land on all fours when you only have three working limbs, after all.

"Hey!" Tony yelled, gaining Doctor Strange's attention. "You said that one out of fourteen million, we win, right?" He asked. "Tell me this is it."

"If I tell you what happens, it won't happen." Stephen replied.

"You better be right." Tony spoke, flying back overhead.

Elizabeth turned to her old friend, tears shedding as she engulfed him in a hug. "Marilyn- Daisy- they all, they all-"

"It's okay. It's okay." He replied, holding her shoulders and looking her in the eyes. "We need to do this right now, so we can get them back forever." Elizabeth nodded and sniffled, looking in her best friend's eyes one last time before flying off to find Pepper and Wanda. She watched as Thanos sent a few more of his people after Clint and the gauntlet, only for him to hand it over to T'Challa for safer keeping. It was bittersweet. Two people from opposing sides all those years ago, coming together to defeat one greater evil. It was like a cheesy young adult novel. The gauntlet was kicked out of T'Challa's hands, and Elizabeth was too focused on the ground to realize she had been shot out of the sky, sending her hurtling into the ground. Not much damage was done with her suit protecting her, so she managed to stand up, glancing over at Wanda, who had just landed next to Thanos.

"You took everything from me." She clenched her teeth.

Thanos snickered. "I don't even know who you are."

"You will." She replied, sending large pieces of debris covered with her red powers at Thanos' head. Elizabeth grabbed her gun and shot at Ebony Maw as he grabbed the gauntlet. T'Challa watched as he weakened, looking at Elizabeth and nodding in respect. Peter grabbed the gauntlet with his web shooters.

"I got it!" He yelled, immediately becoming surrounded by Chitauri. "Activate Instant Kill!" Everyone watched as giant golden spider legs came out of his back, stabbing the aliens that had appeared around him. Elizabeth turned back to Wanda, brushing the stray hairs out of her face as she ran back towards them, protecting Wanda from being attacked by any of the other aliens.

"Rain fire!" Thanos yelled in pain as he was lifted up by Wanda, beginning to be torn apart by her powers.

"But sire, our troops!" His right hand man resisted.

"Just do it!" Cannons from his ship began to fire, hitting Wanda and throwing her away. The wizards began making shields above their heads, and one of them came beside Elizabeth.

"We need to get over there!" She yelled pointing towards where Wanda had been hit. He nodded and ran beside her as one of the cannons accidentally hit one of the dams, water flooding into the battlefield. Elizabeth continued to run, but watched as Stephen used his powers to create a tornado that stood in place with the water, preventing it from touching anyone else. Suddenly, Peter flew in from the sky, falling into a piece of rubble near Elizabeth with the gauntlet in his hands. She ran over to him, grabbing a few more pieces of rubble and making a safe space around him. The cannons began to shoot towards something else, confusing all of the Avengers.

"What the hell is this?" Sam asked through the earpiece. A bright light appeared in the atmosphere. Carol Danvers. She flew through the ship with the cannons and came back out again, watching as it exploded and fell into the lake behind her.

"Danvers!" Elizabeth yelled in the coms. "We need some assistance here!" Carol flew down towards her and Peter, the latter holding the gauntlet with his body.

"Hi." Spider-Man awkwardly spoke. "I'm- I'm Peter Parker."

"Hey, Peter Parker." She smirked. "You got something for me?"

Spider-Man handed her the gauntlet as Elizabeth spoke. "We needed you."

"I know." Carol smiled cockily.

"I don't know how you're gonna get it through all that." Peter exclaimed, pointing at the gauntlet.

"You don't need to worry." Elizabeth grinned, watching as Pepper, Okoye, Mantis, Shuri, Hope, Gamora, Nebula, and Wanda landed around them.

"She's got help." Okoye replied. Thanos' army ran at them as the women helped Carol get to the others with the gauntlet. Elizabeth flung her knife anywhere that held an enemy, ducking down low every once in a while to avoid Okoye's spear. Elizabeth was punched down to the ground by one of the Chitauri, and she thankfully clicked her gun into it's stomach and shot a few times, letting it fall limp to the ground. As everyone else fought more and more aliens, Carol flew up in the sky, trying to make it to the Quantum Tunnel. Thanos threw his blade into it, sending a large force wave into everyone and destroying the tunnel. Elizabeth fell to the ground alongside everyone else, watching in horror as Carol lost her grip on the gauntlet. Tony flew in overhead, running to get the gauntlet before turning and tackling Thanos. Elizabeth got up and joined Thor as they ran towards the now unconscious Tony Stark and the giant Thanos. The two superheroes attempted to pin the villain down using Thor's thunder and Elizabeth's combat skills, but Thanos threw them both back, hitting them into rubble. Thor's eyes fluttered in and out, and Elizabeth attempted to crawl on her hand and two feet towards him.

"C'mon. Get up." Thor coughed, blood dripping down his lip. Carol picked up the gauntlet, punching Thanos, only to be flung away by his arm. Elizabeth and Thor watched in horror as Thanos slipped on the gauntlet, radiation surging through his arms as he tried to snap.

"This is it." The God of Thunder spoke. "He's going to win."

Elizabeth turned her head towards him. "You said that when we first got here, Thor." She spoke. "Have faith." She ignored her own feeling that it wasn't going to work, and instead watched as Carol stopped Thanos from snapping, being headbutted by him multiple times, only for it to do nothing. Thanos pulled out the Power Stone and placed it in his free hand, hitting Carol away once again. Tony regained consciousness, looking towards the barely awake Steve and Carol, then towards Thor, he locked eyes with Elizabeth for a moment, then looked towards Stephen. Doctor Strange raised a finger, reminding everyone that they only had one shot. Elizabeth looked at her old friend for reassurance, only getting a bittersweet smile in return. She then realized she hadn't seen Bucky the whole time, and wondered if he was okay. She scanned around for him, but was interrupted as Thor tapped her shoulder.

"Watch." She looked back as Thanos placed the Power Stone back into the gauntlet, screaming in agony as the radiation from the stones nearly killed him. Tony made one last attempt at Thanos, trying to grab at the Iron Gauntlet, only to be kicked away once again.

"I am inevitable." Thanos spoke, Elizabeth wincing as the metal clinked together as he snapped. She opened her eyes when nothing happened, and watched as Thanos realized that the Infinity Stones were no longer placed in the Iron Gauntlet. Everyone looked over to Tony, his hand engulfed in his own gauntlet with the Infinity Stones resting in them. Elizabeth's eyes watered and she muttered a faint 'no' as she realized her long-time friend was going to sacrifice himself for the world.

"And I am Iron Man."


	49. CHAPTER FORTY-EIGHT

(2023)

A blinding flash of light poured over The Avengers, but soon enough, every single alien around them slowly turned to dust. Elizabeth stood up, pulling Thor up with her working arm as they looked at the battlefield around them. Thanos sat down on a piece of rubble, mourning his loss before turning to dust. Tony slumped up against the rubble, his side completely ruined by the gauntlet. Elizabeth flew over as fast as she could, sitting across from him beside Rhodey, Peter and Pepper.

"Tony?" Elizabeth asked, grasping his hand. She let it go quickly, stepping back a bit as her best friend faded away from existence.

"Mr. Stark?" Peter spoke, heartbroken as tears flooded his eyes. "Hey- Mr. Stark? Can you hear me? It's Peter." He choked, making Elizabeth's eyes water even more. "Hey, we won, Mr. Stark, we won, we won. You did it. You did it." After Peter engulfed him in a hug, he stood up, letting Pepper sit in front of Tony. Elizabeth held Peter protectively, letting him cry into her shoulder. 

"Hey." Pepper spoke softly, watching as Tony moved his head faintly.

"Hey, Pep." Elizabeth clenched her teeth, trying not to cry out.

Pepper placed her hand onto where Tony's Arc Reactor once was, letting his own hand rest upon his wife's. "FRIDAY?" Pepper asked.

"Life functions critical." The automated robot responded. Peter gripped on tighter to Elizabeth, letting her wrap her good arm around him tightly.

"Tony. Look at me." Pepper spoke. "We're going to be okay. You can rest now."

And with that, his suit's blue light faded, leaving Pepper to cry into his shoulder. Peter sobbed louder into Elizabeth's shoulder as she stroked his hair, trying to comfort him to the best of her abilities. The Avengers around them took a knee, and Peter's knees buckled underneath him. Elizabeth sat down gently, letting him rest his entire body onto her side as they both cried, hearts breaking.

"Doctor Walters?" Peter asked, looking at Elizabeth through thick tears. "What- What's going to happen?"

Elizabeth shook her head, tears streaming down her cheeks. "I don't know."


	50. CHAPTER FORTY-NINE

(2023)

Happy, Pepper, Morgan, Rhodey and Elizabeth sat in the living room of Tony's old house before the funeral. It had been a week since the battle against Thanos, and things had changed. The energy in the house that was once Tony's had disappeared, making it feel cold and gloomy. Elizabeth's arm had to be amputated, as it had gotten majorly infected during the fight. Pepper looked like she was never truly there, her eyes had lost the sparkle everyone had grown to be charmed by.

The five of them listened through Tony's helmet at his holographic message. "Everybody wants a happy ending, right? But it doesn't always roll that way. Maybe this time, I'm hoping if you play this back, it's in celebration." He spoke, his body flickering in and out. "I hope families are reunited, I hope we get it back, and something like a normal version of the planet has been restored." Tony stated. Elizabeth grasped a tissue in her hand and wiped the tears away from her eyes. "God, what a world. Universe, now. If you told me ten years ago that we weren't alone, let alone, you know, to this extent, I mean, I wouldn't have been surprised. But come on, you know? The forces of darkness and light have come into play. And, for better or worse, that's the reality Morgan's gonna have to find a way to grow up in." Elizabeth turned to her non-blood related niece, who was sitting next to Pepper on the couch. "So I thought I'd probably better record a little greeting, just in case of an untimely death on my part." Tony spoke. "I mean, not that death at any time isn't untimely, this time travel thing that we're going to try and pull off tomorrow, it's-it's got me scratching my head at the survivability of it all. That's the thing." He repositioned himself on his chair, and for a split second, it felt like he was really there. "Then again, that's the hero gig. Part of the journey is the end." He got up and walked towards the Iron Helmet. "What am I even tripping for? Everything's gonna work out exactly the way it's supposed to." He smiled, looking right at Morgan. "I love you 3000." The hologram of Tony Stark cut out, leaving Elizabeth with the last bit of closure she would ever get for his death. She got up, dusting off her knee-length black dress with her one arm and helping Pepper grab the wreath with her shaking hands. Happy, Elizabeth, Morgan, Rhodey and Pepper left the house, greeting the people waiting for the funeral. Elizabeth stood beside Steve on the dock, watching as Pepper let go of the flowered wreath in the water. It had Tony's old arc reactor in it, the words engraved around it 'Proof that Tony Stark has a Heart'. Steve held onto Elizabeth's side, holding back his tears as they let go of his friend. Everyone was devastated, a part of their life, the man who had brought them all together, had been ripped away from them. Steve engulfed Elizabeth in a hug, letting her sob into her best friend's chest.

"We'll make it through this."


	51. CHAPTER FIFTY

(2023)

After the funeral, Bruce, Steve, Sam and Bucky all stood together at the Quantum Tunnel. Elizabeth stood a little bit away, saying her goodbyes to Peter. He was wearing a simple black blazer and white collared shirt. Elizabeth straightened his tie and scribbled something down on a piece of paper she had in her dress pocket.

"If you ever need me, call me." She said, handing the boy her number on the paper with her one arm. "Even if it's not an emergency, call me, okay?"

Peter embraced Elizabeth in a hug. "I will." They parted and Peter walked away, waving as he went to go find Aunt May. Marilyn approached Elizabeth next, holding Daisy in her arms. The superhero teared up, holding her two-year-old daughter with her arm again. She had figured out how to hold Daisy with only one arm quite quickly, and it was easier than she had thought. It had been five years since she had held Daisy, but it felt like a decade. Marilyn hugged her as well, the three of them engaging in a group hug.

"So, what happened?" Marilyn asked, pulling away from Elizabeth.

"Too much." She replied, glancing over at Bucky, who had just finished hugging Steve. "Do you mind giving me a second?" Marilyn nodded, grabbing Daisy again and letting Elizabeth walk over to where Bruce, Steve, Sam and Bucky stood near the Quantum Tunnel platform.

"Hey there, old man." Elizabeth smirked, letting Steve hug her tightly before he left.

"I'm going back." He smiled, pulling away from his best friend. "-Back to Peggy."

Elizabeth grinned. "I'm glad. You deserve the life you didn't have." He nodded, waving as Elizabeth hid her tears. Steve pulled on his Quantum suit, preparing to go back in time to return the stones and see Peggy Carter again. Elizabeth was devastated that her best friend that had stuck with her for the last five years was leaving, but she knew it was the best choice he could've made.

"How long is this gonna take?" Sam asked.

"For him? As long as he needs." Bruce answered. "For us? Five seconds."

"So what, he's just going to come back as an old man?" Elizabeth asked as Steve picked up the Mjolnir.

"Exactly." Bruce replied. "Ready, Cap?" He asked, earning a nod from Captain America. "Alright. We'll meet you back here, okay?"

"You bet." Elizabeth shut her eyes as Steve disappeared into the Quantum Realm once again.

Bruce frantically pushed buttons as he counted down. "And returning in, five, four, three, two, one!" When the countdown ended, Steve was nowhere to be seen. Elizabeth looked around up and down, trying to find her friend who had disappeared.

"Where is he?" Sam asked.

"I don't know." Bruce answered. "He blew right by his time stamp. He should be here."

Everyone began yelling at each other, until Bucky finally spotted him. "Guys..." Elizabeth, Sam and Bruce looked over to see an old Steve Rogers sitting on a log near a tree. Bucky, Sam, and Elizabeth walked over, soft and sad smiles spreading across their faces.

"Cap?"

"Hi, Sam."

"So, did something go wrong, or did something go right?" Sam asked as Elizabeth smiled, knowing that Steve got exactly what he wished for.

"Well, after I put the stones back, I thought, maybe I'll try some of that life Tony and Elizabeth were telling me to get." He answered.

Elizabeth glanced over at him. "And how'd it work out?"

Steve looked at his best friend. "It was beautiful."

"I'm happy for you." Sam stated. "Truly."

"Thank you." Steve replied.

"Only thing bumming me out is the fact I have to live in a world without Captain America." He sighed, making Elizabeth snicker.

"Oh, that reminds me." Steve spoke, grabbing his shield. "Try it on."

Sam grasped onto the shield, wrapping the leather holster around his forearm. "How does it feel?" Steve asked.

"Like it's someone else's."

"Sam, it isn't." Elizabeth spoke, resting her hand on his shoulder as he bit back tears of happiness.

"Thank you." He smiled graciously. "I'll do my best." Sam glanced at Steve's ring on his hand. "You wanna tell me about her?"

"No." Steve smirked. "No, I don't think I will." Elizabeth walked over to the water, letting Sam and Steve continue with their heart-to-heart moment. Daisy splashed in the water with the help of Marilyn a few feet away, making Elizabeth smile widely. She turned her head to see Bucky standing beside her.

"I'm sorry." His voice cracked, tears falling down his face.

Elizabeth turned to him, facing his eyes. "I-I can't forgive you." She replied, battling back her own tears. "But I can try."

Bucky looked at her in surprise. "Are you sure? I mean, I left you to take care of our daughter for two years on your own."

"We were never a perfect family, James." She spoke, tears falling down her cheeks. "We're superheroes. We were on the run for those years we lived together. It was always going to go downhill at some point." Elizabeth looked up at him, holding his hands in her own. "The question was what was going to happen to make it go downhill."

James nodded. "I'm so, so, so, sorry."

Elizabeth shook her head. "It's not like we can go back in time and fix it." She shook her head. "Well, we can, but I wouldn't want to change it."

"She's beautiful." He spoke, watching as his two year old daughter ran over to her mom.

"Mommy!" She yelled, Elizabeth lifting her up in her working arm. "Who is that?" Daisy asked, her 'that' sounding more like 'dat' as she pointed to Bucky.

"Honey, this is your dad." She answered, handing Daisy over to Bucky. He held her very cautiously, as if he was afraid he would hurt her.

"Hi there Dais'."

"Hello!" She replied, but it sounded more like 'hewwo!'

Bucky smiled, tears of joy falling down his cheeks as he looked lovingly at his daughter. "You're the prettiest lady I've ever seen besides your momma." Elizabeth beamed, watching as his gaze fell to her amputated arm. "I guess we're matching now, darling." She laughed, her chuckle breaking as she cried. Her good hand grasped Bucky's, letting him reposition so that Daisy could sit on his shoulder.

"Let's go home."


End file.
